CO2 Coalition paper says livestock methane has negligible climate impact

A paper released by the CO2 Coalition asserts that methane emissions from cattle and sheep contribute an almost insignificant amount to global warming. The authors calculate that eliminating all 1.6 billion cattle would reduce temperature rise by only 0.04 °C, while the effect of the 1.3 billion sheep would be ten times smaller. New Zealand’s target to cut livestock emissions would change temperature by just 0.000008 °C. The study argues that methane, with an atmospheric concentration of less than 2 ppm, is dwarfed by water vapor and carbon dioxide in its warming effect.

The paper, authored by researchers including Deborah Alexander, James D. Ferguson, Albrecht Glatzle, William Happer and William van Wijngaarden, warns that policies urging large‑scale reductions in animal agriculture impose costly burdens on farmers and low‑income communities worldwide, while delivering negligible climate benefits.