• world watcher

  Dec 3 2012, 21:50

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  These Doha talks consider reversing climate change mainly by replacing fossil fuel with renewable energy infrastructure, estimated to require US$18 trillion in spending in the next 20 years. Meanwhile, one expert group after another says the world must start reversing climate change by 2017 or it will be too late.

  Yet World Bank Group environmental specialists have determined that there's one pragmatic way left to reverse climate change before it's too late. Large-scale reforestation and regeneration of forest could absorb all of today's excess atmospheric carbon – while sufficient land can be freed up by replacing at least 25% of today's livestock products with better alternatives. That's because 45% of all land on earth is now used for livestock and feed production (n.b., details at http://www.chompingclimatechange.org).

  So the key player in reversing climate change is actually the food industry. It's more exposed to climate change than any other industry, as most of its production is outdoors. So it has a compelling commercial incentive to reverse climate change. It controls land on which livestock and feed production can be reduced, and it can sell carbon credits from reforesting land. Consumers have an equal capacity to vote with their forks to replace livestock products with alternatives -- which can be considered better because they require no government spending while they can reverse climate change.

• beenkoo

  Nov 29 2012, 20:10

  This post was deleted because it contravenes AllAfrica's commenting guidelines.

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