Farmed Animal Welfare and Climate Change Intersection

How climate change is affecting farmed animal welfare and how the livestock sector must adapt.

Key Facts

Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of extreme heat events that threaten livestock welfare
Livestock production itself contributes approximately 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions
Reducing livestock production is among the most impactful individual actions for climate mitigation
Climate-resilient livestock breeds have better heat tolerance but may have lower production efficiency
Intensification of livestock production to reduce land use has welfare tradeoffs that must be addressed
Plant-based protein systems produce substantially lower emissions than animal agriculture across most metrics

Welfare Considerations

The relationship between farmed animal welfare and climate change operates in both directions: climate change worsens animal welfare through heat stress and extreme weather events, while livestock production drives climate change that threatens both animal and human welfare globally. The welfare-positive response to this intersection is to support policies that simultaneously reduce livestock sector emissions and improve welfare standards for remaining production, creating a sector that produces less but produces more humanely. Reducing overall animal product consumption addresses both environmental and welfare dimensions simultaneously.

What You Can Do

Reduce animal product consumption as both a welfare and climate action
Support farms adopting climate-smart practices that also improve animal welfare outcomes
Advocate for climate policy that addresses livestock emissions as a significant mitigation priority
Choose plant-based protein options that align climate and animal welfare goals simultaneously