Intensive farming and the climate crisis

When discussing the climate crisis, intensive farming often remains in the background. Yet, the way we produce meat, milk, and eggs is linked to land use, water, emissions, and biodiversity loss. Understanding this connection doesn't mean looking for a single culprit; it means recognizing a significant part of the problem and choosing fairer solutions for the planet and for animals.

Why farming impacts the climate

The impact doesn't stem from a single factor. It encompasses the entire supply chain: feed cultivation, energy consumption, manure management, processing, transport, and refrigeration. For ruminants, methane emissions from digestion are an additional factor. The FAO uses the GLEAM model specifically to assess environmental effects throughout the entire chain.

• Methane and nitrous oxide: powerful greenhouse gases linked to ruminant digestion and effluent management.
• Land use: large areas are dedicated to grazing or feed production.
• Water and soil: the concentration of animals and waste can increase pressure on local resources.
• Biodiversity: habitat transformation and agricultural expansion reduce the space available for many species.

The problem is not the animal: it's the system

Cows, pigs, sheep, and chickens are not "production units." They are individuals capable of experiencing fear, curiosity, pleasure, and attachment. Intensive farming places them within an economic machine that measures efficiency in kilograms, time, and costs, often leaving their experience invisible.

In sanctuaries, the opposite happens: the animal ceases to be a resource and returns to being someone. You can learn more about this difference by reading what an animal sanctuary really is.

Food choices are also climate choices

The IPCC report on climate mitigation includes changes in dietary habits among the actions capable of reducing emissions and pressure on land. Choosing more plant-based foods is not a perfect or isolated gesture: it is a concrete direction, especially when accompanied by public policies, support for farmers, and equitable access to healthy food.

What we can do

1. Gradually reduce meat, milk, and eggs, experimenting with plant-based alternatives.
2. Learn about supply chains without stopping at reassuring labels.
3. Support associations and sanctuaries that show animals as individuals.
4. Demand policies that promote a just food and agricultural transition.

The climate crisis is enormous, but it is not abstract. It also stems from how we choose to view other animals.