Justin Trudeau's climate change minister, Steven Guilbeault, celebrated food and agricultue day at the COP28 summit on climate change by unveiling the Canadian government's plan to reduce the environmental threat posed by cow burps.
Guilbeault moves to cap methane emissions from cows | Western Standard | Shaun Polczer:
December 11, 2023 - "First it was the oil and gas industry. Now Envrionment Minister Steven Guilbeault is taking aim at another major sector of Alberta’ economy by targeting flatulent cattle.... [A]at the COP28 summit in Dubai ... Guilbeault announced the proposed ‘Reducing Enteric Methane Emissions from Beef Cattle’ (REME) protocol to 'incentivize” farmers to implement changes that would be eligible for methane offset credits that can be bought or sold'....
"It’s the fourth such schedule to be included in Canada’s greenhouse gas offset system and the third policy measure announced by Guilbeault’s office at the COP28 summit including limits on industrial methane and a cap on oil and gas.... Environment and Climate Change Canada said the draft REME protocol was 'informed' by Alberta’s offset protocol on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from fed cattle. At this point it only covers burping emissions from beef cattle — more than half of which are found in Alberta — and not dairy cows that are concentrated in the Lower Mainland and Quebec.
"According to Environment Canada, agriculture was responsible for 31% of Canada’s total methane emissions in 2021, the majority of which are produced by beef and dairy cattle. Methane is generated during the natural digestive process of cows and is released into the air when cows burp.
"The offset credit system is among several measures Canada is taking to reduce domestic greenhouse gas emissions by 40% to 45% below 2005 levels under the Liberals’ 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan."
Ottawa's plan to cut methane emissions 'unconstitutional,' Alberta premier says | Power and Politics, CBC News | December 11, 2023:
Ottawa comes down hard on methane-burping cows. Are humans next? | Calgary Herald | Don Braid:
December 12, 2023 - ""Methane eructated and flatulated by cattle is a secondary but substantial cause of climate change. So, too, is gas from moose, elk, deer and many other creatures less susceptible to regulation. But the worst offenders by far are humans, each and every one of us expert at using our built-in emission technologies. As a species we are so gaseous and numerous that our methane production far exceeds those of any cud-chewing creatures. Much is written on all this, although one has to wonder about the accuracy of facts and figures. Who can measure the totality of human flatulence? And how? Regardless, Ottawa is on the case....
"As usual, Ottawa presents a climate measure as advantageous both scientifically and economically. 'Each credit represents one tonne of emission reductions. Credits can be sold to facilities that will use them to meet emissions reduction obligations, or to other businesses to meet their low-carbon economy commitments. This means fewer methane emissions, and more financial opportunities for Canadian farmers'....
"There are ways to reduce methane emissions from cattle — feeding them a certain kind of seaweed, for instance. This is apparently very effective, although not so practical on the Prairies. Cattle can also be bred with low-emission genetic traits. If the entire dairy herd were bred this way, according to one company, emissions in the national dairy herd could drop 20 to 30 per cent by 2050.
"Kyle Larkin, executive director of the Grain Growers of Canada, says farmers and ranchers already face pressure from federal demands to cut fertilizer emissions. 'It’s fine to put targets out there,' he says, 'but we need a plan to be able to get to those targets, and if the government was serious about reaching the 30 per cent fertilizer emissions reduction target, or the methane reduction target, there need to be dollars put into best management practices and helping farmers to adapt.' But Ottawa continues to drop measures on one sector after another. The Liberals are so zealous, in fact, that they might even announce low-emission targets for humans."
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