Climate change and animal welfare are deeply interconnected crises, with rising temperatures causing direct welfare suffering while animal agriculture contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change.
The intersection of climate change and animal welfare creates compounding harms. Higher temperatures cause chronic heat stress in farmed animals, particularly pigs and poultry whose temperature regulation is limited. Drought reduces food availability for both farmed and wild animals. Extreme weather events including floods and wildfires cause acute mass mortality. Meanwhile, the animal agriculture system driving welfare harm is itself a major driver of the climate change causing harm. A coordinated response that reduces animal agriculture, improves welfare within remaining production, and protects wild habitats from climate disruption offers the greatest combined benefit.