UN Report Critic Has Undisclosed Meat Industry Ties

I’ve written several posts referring to the United Nations (U.N.) report revealing that the livestock sector is responsible for more greenhouse-gas emissions than all the cars, SUVS, 18-wheelers, jumbo jets, ships, and trains in the world combined. I’ve cited research by Worldwatch Institute researchers who claim that raising animals for food causes 51 percent of harmful greenhouse gasses every year. I’ve noted the overwhelming evidence showing that meat production contributes to climate change and the litany of experts who urge people to go vegan, or at least eat less meat. And each time, I made no secret of that fact that I work for the PETA Foundation and that I advocate a vegan diet for ethical, as well as environmental reasons. But critics of the U.N report and other studies showing that meat production contributes to climate change tend to be about as transparent as a brick wall.

You may have read news reports about Frank Mitloehner, an associate professor and cooperative extension specialist at the University of California, Davis, and the author of Clearing the Air: Livestock’s Contributions to Climate Change, a paper which criticizes the findings of the U.N. report.

I’m betting that the new reports did not mention that Mitloehner is a livestock industry consultant who has received big bucks from the meat industry.

A blogger with the Guardian in the U.K. apparently did a little digging and wrote an informative post pointing out Mitloehner’s ties to the beef industry. The whole blog is worth reading, but I think the excerpt from the press release put out by the university is particularly telling, especially this part:

“Writing the synthesis was supported by a $26,000 research grant from the Beef Checkoff Program, which funds research and other activities, including promotion and consumer education, through fees on beef producers in the US. Since 2002, Mitloehner has received $5m in research funding, with 5% of the total from agricultural commodities groups, such as beef producers.”

Why did that information not make it into media reports?

Mitloehner’s university disclosed it, so it’s not as if the press was kept in the dark. It’s pretty significant information too—while it doesn’t necessarily mean that Mitloehner’s arguments aren’t worth investigating further, it does cause you to question his motives and look closer at his claims. His calculations do not take into proper account the impact of methane and nitrous oxide, which are much more potent than carbon dioxide on a molecule-by-molecule basis. Since the livestock sector is a leading emitter of both these gases, it would seem that Mitloehner drastically underestimates the impact of the meat, egg, and dairy industries on climate change.

An objective look at the science leaves no doubt that going vegan is one of the best things you can do for the planet. Researchers have even found that switching from a meat-based diet to a vegan one will reduces one’s carbon footprint more than switching from a standard sedan to a hybrid car.

But our carbon footprints aren’t all we should be concerned about. If you factor in other pressing issues, including water and air pollution, deforestation, water scarcity, and, yes, animal suffering, you’ll probably agree that there’s just no defense for the meat industry.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Beng Kiat L.

2:26AM PDT on Jun 29, 2010

Thanks

send a green star

Nicole C.

9:18PM PDT on May 18, 2010

You pretty much have to do a background on everyone who writes an article about anything. I am glad search engines make this easy. Imagine before the internet.

Marianne G.

4:31AM PDT on May 2, 2010

Thank you for interesting information.

Heather M.

8:17PM PDT on Apr 25, 2010

Thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts on my post. If anyone is interested, here is another interesting article calling out the climate change skeptics with meat industry ties:

http://www.theatlantic.com/food/archive/2010/04/carnivorous-climate-skeptics-in-the-media/39177/

MICHELLE S.

10:04AM PDT on Apr 25, 2010

I have more of a problem of politicians and political figures blowing hot air out their a** than a cow!

11:27AM PDT on Apr 24, 2010

dear Tara C.
A replacement religion and a religion to replace other religions. A religion of fear, dear.
It is often said that there is a scientific “consensus” to the effect that climate change will be “catastrophic” and that, on this question, “the debate is over”.
The present paper will demonstrate that the claim of unanimous scientific “consensus” was false, and known to be false, when it was first made;
That the trend of opinion in the peer-reviewed journals and even in the UN’s reports on climate is moving rapidly away from alarmism;

That, among climate scientists, the debate on the causes and extent of climate change is by no means over;
And that the evidence in the peer-reviewed literature conclusively demonstrates that, to the extent that there is a “consensus”, that “consensus” does not endorse the notion of “catastrophic” climate change.
http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org/images/stories/papers/monckton/consensus.pdf
Veritas vos liberabit
Naturheilt

Charmaine C.

5:53AM PDT on Apr 24, 2010

These reports are dry as old bones to read. Ugh! For whichever reason you choose not to eat meat, the end result will be good on so many levels.

johan l.

12:45AM PDT on Apr 24, 2010

I do not understand the logic behind this article.
If mr. Mitlohner has ties with the meat industry, would he not have said that the emission of harmful gasses in the meat industry, are minimal?
Sorry, makes no sense to me!

Past Member .

2:43PM PDT on Apr 23, 2010

WE DEMAND FULL DISCLOSURE AND ACCOUNTABILITY for GEOEngineering and Climate manipulation that has been going on for years!!!
http://www.californiaskywatch.com

Are you aware that the government admits to the deployment of aerosolized particulates of known toxicity over America for training in military applications and other purposes? Geoengineering? Climate Control?

http://proliberty.com/observer/20080112.htm

GEOENGINEERING, CLIMATE CONTROL AND HAARP INVESTIGATIVE REPORT
www.californiaskywatch.com/documents/htmldocs/geoengineering.htm

IF HAARP HEATS THE IONOSPHERE, THEN IT HEATS THE GLOBE !!! INVESTIGATE HAARP AND THE MEN BEHIND IT

HAARP and Beyond - Dr. Nick Begich VERY INFORMATIVE...

www.californiaskywatch.com/documents/htmldocs/geoengineering.htm

Jesse Ventura investigates HAARP
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZOt29NR0FY

"I can’ t believe that people spend time on the internet arguing about “contrails versus
chemtrails” when this has been going on openly for decades. Call it what you want, the
military has been spraying us without our permission for generations."
the full article -
http://homepage.mac.com/carolepellatt/yeswearebeingsprayed/

www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9yrpg_br2E

See the "Contrails in the Media" section near the bottom of the page... KNBC 4 in LA, the Weather Channel, PBS

Signs of toxic chemicals used to Modify Climate showing up in drinking water??? Hmmm... on KNBC 4, LA and KTVU 2, SF Bay area...

http://www.