While farming has to make big changes to tackle global warming, we shouldn’t have to eliminate all cattle from our fields. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons
When I was asked to chair the Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC) in the summer of 2015, I thought my most difficult task would be explaining to farmers that they had to give up on cattle and dairying because the methane cows emit is a very damaging greenhouse gas.
However, before the council got up and running, I discovered that the science told a more nuanced story.
Methane is a short-lived gas that is very damaging for climate. However, it disappears quite quickly from the atmosphere. If we reduce methane emissions it will help cool the planet.
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