Livestock reduction is key for Copenhagen’s deep emission reduction goals

At the two-week United Nations Climate Change Conference in Denmark, discussions have continued to revolve around how much global temperatures should be allowed to rise, with low-lying countries vulnerable to sea level rise calling for no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius increase. Even at this level, many such as the tiny island nation of Tuvalu are likely to be submerged. But a new study was presented at the conference on Saturday that highlights a very important component in limiting temperature rise.

Supreme Master Television’s correspondent is on location at the Danish capital with this report.
Supreme Master Television Danish correspondent: As delegates weigh in on proposals leading up to a final agreement, a summarized draft document calls for more drastic emission reductions than have been committed to thus far by industrialized nations.

In addition, for the first time, text has been proposed that would allow “interstate cooperation” to help countries with anticipated relocation of possibly millions of global warming refugees. Meanwhile, countries have been pledging future financial aid to vulnerable nations, with European Union leaders agreeing to funding €7.2 billion
over the next three years.

Anders TURESSON, Chief Negotiator for the Sweden, Presidency of European Union (M): These monies should be used for public support, adaptation, mitigation, and capacity building, with an emphasis on the least developed countries.

Supreme Master Television Danish correspondent: Meanwhile, Brazil stepped up efforts to protect the Amazon rainforest, a vital climate regulator whose deforestation is a major source of greenhouse gases.
Supreme Master Television recently spoke with Brazilian Ambassador Paulo Alberto da Silveira Soares about the government’s plan coinciding with the Copenhagen summit.

Paulo Alberto da Silveira Soares – Brazilian Ambassador to Singapore (M): Brazil is really the only country that came, weeks ago, before any other countries with a very straight forward proposition, a target of curbing CO2 emissions between 36 to 39% and 80% reduction in deforestation in the Amazon area.

Supreme Master Television Danish correspondent: A new study released on Saturday at the Copenhagen conference found that livestock raising is the biggest source of greenhouse gases, at more than 50%, and that about 75% of total Amazon deforestation was to clear grazing land for cattle.

Brazilian sociologist Marley Winckler has more to share about this message.
Marley Winckler – Sociologist, President of Brazilian Vegetarian Society (F): If you really want to mitigate greenhouse gases, you must address meat production. SMTV Danish correspondent: The Brazilian government announced this week that it will use satellite surveillance in an effort to ensure that cattle ranchers do not destroy more land than they are already allotted and that violators will not be granted permits to transport their cattle to be slaughtered.

We asked Ambassador da Silveira Soares his thoughts about changing dietary consumption to being meat-free as an immediate solution for both government and people.
Paulo Alberto da Silveira Soares – Brazilian Ambassador to Singapore (M): We need a big effort, Brazil is net producer of meat. So we have to make more than a campaign and make people more aware that for the health, of me, you and everyone in the world, less consumption of meat only helps your health and climate change.

Supreme Master Television Danish correspondent: This is Supreme Master Television reporting from Copenhagen, Denmark.

VOICE: We thank His Excellency Mr. Alberto da Silveira Soares, Ms. Winckler, and all negotiators and leaders who are working to chart our world’s best future course. May we work together to halt climate change through the organic vegan diet and farming practices, for the survival and happiness of all.

In a March 2009 videoconference with government dignitaries and the public in Mexico, Supreme Master Ching Hai once more highlighted the exceptional government measures required to address the current crisis of global warming.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: I suggest all world leaders and governments to please promote the animal-free lifestyle and quick so that we can save our planet. We have not too much time left. This is no longer even about politics.

It’s about the survival of ourselves and our children. If all governments encourage people toward the healthy, animal-free diet, the planet could be saved in no time.
And the activities that are good for our Earth can also gener ate livelihoods. We have a shortage of food, so the government can easily support organic vegan farmers and the advancement of other green practices.
This will help greatly. The government must make a priority, saving the planet, organic vegan farming subsidies.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/carteret-islands/6771651/The-sea-is-killing-our-island-paradise.html
http://www.ipsnews.net/africa/nota.asp?idnews=49630
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/World/Story/STIStory_465710.html
http://www.france24.com/en/node/4945985
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE5BA29S20091211?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0
http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/11524/1/

Arctic permafrost could release vast amounts of greenhouse gases

A four-year study by the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) has revealed that the carbon stores beneath the vast Arctic tundra, or permafrost, are much higher than previously estimated. CSIRO’s Global Carbon Project Executive Director, Dr. Josep Canadell, stated, 『Projections show that almost all near-surface permafrost will disappear by the end of this century, exposing large carbon stores to decomposition and release of greenhouse gases.”

He went on to state his own observations on a recent trip to China that the permafrost at the Arctic’s southern limit had nearly disappeared in the last ２０ years. It is estimated that even a １０ percent permafrost melt would result in a ０.７ degree Celsius increase in temperature, causing more intense storms, droughts and rising sea levels, with further warming that could be irreversible and catastrophic if the thaw happens too quickly.

Dr. Canadell and colleagues at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, we appreciate your efforts in providing this alarming report. Let us all awaken now and act in bringing sustainable Earth-saving measures to preserve the environment for ourselves and all beings.

In a July ２００８ videoconference with our Association members in Seattle, Washington, USA, Supreme Master Ching Hai warned of the planet’s imperilled state, offering her insights on how to best ensure our stable future.


Supreme Master Ching Hai: If the ice melts and the sea warms, then the gas will be released into the atmosphere, and it does already according to scientists’ research and pro of. So the gas that release into the atmosphere might affect you.

And you see, if it is not cold then even all the permafrost, which is the cold hard mud layers, will be melted also, and then the gas from the permafrost also will be released. And that’s the reason maybe you feel more tired.

And some places may have more mental illness, and all kind of other illnesses, and diseases go where they have not been before even.

So everybody has to join to into the vegetarian diet, and stop the killing, stop the harm to other people and the animals and save energies every way possible and go green wherever possible.
THEN WE STILL CAN SAVE THE PLANET.

Reference
http://www.reuters.com/article/africaCrisis/idUSSP458218
http://www.globalcarbonproject.org/who_is_who/pep_canadell.htm

Greenhouse gases could interfere with ozone recovery.

Scientists at the US National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) and Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, USA have reported the finding that greenhouse gases limit the circulation of ozone in certain regions of the upper atmosphere. The effect of this is that the healing of the ozone layer, whose depletion was caused by previous use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other chemicals, may be much slower in tropical zones. The scientists note that although greenhouse gases actually cool the upper stratosphere, allowing the ozone layer to heal more quickly, these recently discovered circulation changes appear to offset that benefit in tropical areas, thus limiting or even delaying the healing effect indefinitely. Professor Feng Li of NASA stated, “Most studies of ozone and global change have focused on cooling in the upper stratosphere. But we find circulation is just as important. It's not one process or the other, but both."

Our sincere appreciation, Professor Feng Li , National Aeronautics and Space Agency and Johns Hopkins researchers, for helping us to understand the multiple challenges the planet faces from greenhouse gas emissions. We pray for rapid Earth-saving actions to preserve all life across the globe.

In December 2006, during a retreat with our Association members in Germany, Supreme Master Ching Hai shared her concern and insights about the possible consequences of a destabilized atmosphere.


Excerpt from Supreme Master Ching Hai’s lecture
Germany December 31, 2006

Supreme Master Ching Hai: If it’s warm you jump into the water, but if it’s too cold I don’t know if you have enough thing to keep you warm. It might get freezing even after the warming period. Do you understand me?

Because sometime the pollution, it damage the ozone layer. Yes and then all the heat maybe escape. After a while we don’t have any heat. And then maybe too much pollution cover the sun and everything and maybe too much changing. And then everything will go so bad and it might be freezing even, that’s even worse also.

So many things can happen, and it can happen soon. So right now it’s time for all the people of every country should get together and think of the solution quick.

Livestock contributes more to climate change than previous estimates.

In 2006, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization had estimated that animal agriculture was responsible for 18% of global warming. However, it is becoming increasingly clear to scientists that the industry is playing a more significant role.

Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, chief of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) hinted at this during a talk he gave in September 2008 on the role of reducing meat consumption in addressing global warming.

Dr. Rajendra Pachauri – Chair of United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, VEGETARIAN (M): Since people found out about this talk that I was going to give here today, I’ve received a number of emails from people that I respect saying that the 18% figure is an underestimate; it’s a low estimate and in actual fact it’s much higher.

VOICE: Dr. T. Colin Campbell, a renowned researcher and internationally bestselling author of “The China Study,” also indicated that livestock’s role in heating the planet is much bigger.

Dr. T. Colin Campbell – Renowned nutrition researcher, Cornell University, USA, VEGAN (M): I just had some information just recently, that the new figures now indicate that at least half of the greenhouse gases that are up there now, not that 15 or 20%, at least half – and maybe considerably more – are due to livestock production.

VOICE: The United Nations’ 18% estimate follows virtually every step of the meat producing process, including enteric fermentation and manure, deforestation for grazing and feed crop production, transport, processing, refrigeration, and more.

LIVESTOCK GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION SOURCES:
1. Enteric fermentation
2. Manure management and application
3. Nitrogen fertilizer emission
4. On farm fossil fuel use to raise livestock
5. Deforestation of pasture
6. Deforestation for feed crops
7. Feed crop production
8. On farm fossil fuel to produce feed
9. Nitrogen deposition
10. Soil carbon losses due to burning, erosion, harvests, and grazing
11. Transporting animals to slaughter
12. Processing the meat
13. Refrigeration
14. Transporting the meat

VOICE: Accounted for are the three major greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, the latter two of which are shorter-lived but while in the atmosphere cause much more damage than carbon dioxide. However, what is unaccounted for is the fact that methane may be as much as 100 times more effective at trapping heat in the Earth’s atmosphere than carbon dioxide, compared to a 23 times estimate used in most reports – including that of the United Nations. Dr. Kirk Smith is a professor at the University of California – Berkeley in the United States, as well as a member of the IPCC and the US National Academy of Scientists.

Dr. Kirk R. Smith – Professor, University of California – Berkeley, USA (M): Already livestock is 20% of all greenhouse gas emissions, excuse me, the meat system, which includes the animals, includes growing the food for the animals, includes the transport of the meat, includes the fertilizer to grow the food to feed the meat. And that’s with not treating methane any more than the sort of normal way it is used.

VOICE: Dr. Smith believes that by factoring in methane’s truer global warming potential, livestock emissions would be calculated to be higher.

Dr. Kirk R. Smith (M): If you treat it more, then that 20% will go up to maybe 30%. So the 30%, in the next 20 years, is going to be due to meat production.

VOICE: In addition, according to US physicist Noam Mohr, livestock have an even larger share of emissions when yet another unaccounted factor is acknowledged: aerosols, or particles released along with CO2 from burning fossil fuels that actually have a cooling effect.

Voice of Noam Mohr – Physicist with degrees from Yale University and University of Pennsylvania, USA, VEGETARIAN (M): When you consider aerosols and consider the net effect of burning fossil fuels, the carbon dioxide released heats the planet, the aerosols cool the planet, and the net effect roughly cancels each other out. That means that most of the warming we have seen historically and are likely to see in the future comes from other gases, namely methane.

VOICE: We thank the distinguished scientists for this revealing information. May your research continue to be updated and illuminate our decisions in the wisest direction. We pray that humanity’s bold action to reduce meat consumption and meat production will quickly bring us to a safer situation.

In a July 2008 videoconference with our Association members in Thailand, Supreme Master Ching Hai revealed through her deep insight the reality of animal agriculture’s cumulative cause in global warming.

Videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai
With Bangkok, Thailand Center – July 24, 2008

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Because meat producing causes 80% of global warming. Transportation, water, deforestation, refrigeration, medical care for animals and humans, and etc, etc. All kinds of pollution coming from meat production. It’s not just the land that they use, it’s not just the methane gas and nitrous oxide that they produce, it is all its by-product; there’s no end to the list. We cannot rely on green technology alone to save the planet. Because the worst cause of it is from the meat industry. Everybody knows it; all the scientists already report it to us.

European Parliament supports reducing meat to lower greenhouse gases.

During discussions on greenhouse gas reduction goals, the Climate Committee of the European Parliament officially recognized livestock’s contribution to global warming and recommended a review of subsidies to the livestock industry to bring about a reduction in methane. Bravo and thank you European Parliament, and all others for your efforts to save our planet by allowing the true cost of meat to be reflected in the market, while encouraging the consumption of health-giving plant-based foods.


In an interview with James Bean of the radio program, “Spiritual Awakening”, Supreme Master Ching Hai had detailed the benefits of an animal-free diet in halting the effects of climate change.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: In order to save ourselves, we must be vegetarian. A vegetarian diet is the nonviolence in the highest sense. And vegetarian diet is a love in action. Don’t you think?

James Bean – Radio host, HealthyLife.Net Spiritual Awakening (M): Yes, if you love animals, why eat them? SM: Yes. And a vegetarian diet will stop 80% of global warming, stop all the cruelty, beginning on our plate. Generating loving, kind energy around the world, stop water shortage and water pollution, stop food shortages, stop world hunger and war, prevent deadly diseases, save enormous tax and medical bills to build a better world, and support new useful inventions and good people’s organizations.