This past week a deal to limit the rise in global temperatures below 2 degrees has finally been agreed upon at the climate change summit in Paris, after two weeks of gruelling and intense negotiations between the parties.

Source: UN

A key notion that came from the event was the parties consensus to pursuit a  temperature increase of only 1.5 degrees Celsius. However, it has been speculated that a 1.5°C goal will require a zero level of emissions by 2030 (CNN).

The essential measures of the agreement are:

• To peak greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible and achieve a balance between sources and sinks of greenhouse gases in the second half of this century

• To keep global temperature increase "well below" 2C (3.6F) and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5C

• To review progress every five years, and;

• To provide $100bn a year in climate financing for developing countries by 2020. With the commitment to further this finance in the future.

- (BBC News)

Source: BBC
These two diagrams illustrate the difference in global climate considering the complete adoption of the new agreement (top) or continuing with the business as usual scenario (bottom).

With the peak and subsequent rapid reduction of GHGs at the top of the recent climate action agenda, I am in no doubt that countries will be looking to fundamentally shift away from fossil fuels and industries with large GHGs emission signatures.

Furthermore, with the current pledges agreed at the summit the goals are deemed unreachable - so supplementary negotiations and reductions will be necessary to achieve the accepted goals.

Source: Onpurpose

One way in which the COP21 parties may eradicate these emissions and reach the intended goal, would be to take action against the agricultural sector and more specifically the rearing of livestock.

Livestock and their byproducts are accountable for at least 32,000 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year. This is the equivalent of 51% of all worldwide greenhouse gas emissions (independent).

Source: WorldWatch

As well as CO2, cows alone, produce 150 billion gallons of methane per day (IB times). As methane has a climate forcing ability up to 100 times more that of carbon dioxide within a 5 year period, and 72 times more within a 20 year period (onegreenplaet), the immediate removal of such gas would alleviate the environmental pressures associated with GHGs immediately (UN 2014).

Further to CO2 and CH4, livestock are also held accountable for 65% of all the human-related emissions of nitrous oxide, this is a greenhouse gas that has 296 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide, and a residence time of 150 years+ (FAO - Livestocks Long Shadow).

Source: Emaze. This cartoon depicts the different green house gases and their predominant sources. 

With total emissions for agriculture projected to increase by 80% by 2050 (Nature), these factors that have taken little precedent in climate talks hitherto, now need to be addressed - with the equivalent seriousness to the danger they pose.

This is a very interesting paper that aims to answer the question; 'What if the key actors in climate change are livestock?' and expands on my brief overview in this post. I highly recommend giving it a read.