Animal farming, not fossil fuels, main trigger of climate change: Expert

Dr Sailesh K Rao, Founder and Executive Director of Climate Healers, in an exclusive interview with The Federal’s Managing Editor KS Dakshina Murthy, challenged the mainstream climate change narrative.

He argued that while fossil fuel reduction is crucial, the biggest environmental threat lies in animal agriculture. He also discussed why climate policies fail to address this issue and what can be done to mitigate global warming effectively.

Hidden impact of fossil fuels

Dr Rao challenged the widely accepted notion that phasing out fossil fuels is the ultimate solution to climate change. He explained that while burning fossil fuels releases CO2, it also emits cooling gases such as sulphur dioxide, which counteract some of the warming effects.

“If we stop burning fossil fuels suddenly, we will remove the cooling gases, and the heating effect will increase drastically,” he said. Dr Rao argued that the current climate models overlook this critical factor, leading to misdirected climate policies.

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Real culprit: Animal agriculture

According to Dr Rao, the real driver of climate change is animal agriculture. “The amount of land and resources used for animal farming is staggering. At any given time, our livestock consume five times the food we eat,” he stated.

He highlighted how deforestation, biodiversity loss, and methane emissions from livestock are accelerating climate change at a rate faster than fossil fuel consumption. “We have already eliminated 94 per cent of wild animal populations in the last 10,000 years. The impact is devastating,” he warned.

Why governments ignore animal agriculture

Despite the data, global climate policies rarely focus on reducing meat consumption. Dr Rao traced this to the 1992 Rio Summit, where former US President George HW Bush declared that “the American way of life is not negotiable.” This led policymakers to avoid lifestyle-based solutions and focus solely on fossil fuels.

“The UN originally had three conventions—to address biodiversity loss, desertification, and climate change. But over time, they deprioritized biodiversity and desertification, focusing only on climate change, and within that, only on fossil fuels,” he explained.

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Methane factor and afforestation

Dr Rao emphasized the role of methane, a gas more potent than CO2 in trapping heat. “If we significantly reduce methane emissions, we can cool the planet much faster than by cutting CO2 alone,” he asserted.

Afforestation, or reforesting the land currently used for livestock, is another crucial step. “If we stop animal agriculture, vast tracts of land will return to nature, helping to sequester carbon and restore ecosystems,” he added.

Shift towards veganism

Dr Rao strongly advocated for a plant-based diet as a necessary shift to combat climate change. “Going vegan is not extreme; it’s the logical step to ensure the planet’s survival,” he said.

He shared his personal transition from vegetarianism to veganism, citing his realization that even dairy consumption contributes to deforestation and loss of biodiversity.

“There is no such thing as humane dairy farming. The impact on the environment is severe,” he stated.

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Growing support and the battle against powerful lobbies

Despite resistance from powerful industry lobbies, Dr Rao believes awareness is growing. “At the LA Climate Week last year, all the food served was vegan. The shift is happening,” he noted.

He also recounted a debate at Oxford University where the proposition that “this house would go vegan” won decisively. “The future is vegan, and young people know it. Now it’s up to us to make that transition happen faster,” he asserted.

What can be done now?

Dr Rao calls for urgent global action. “We must make plant-based food freely available and ensure global food security. Governments must step up and commit to eliminating hunger and promoting sustainable diets,” he urged.

He remains optimistic about reversing climate change but insists that drastic lifestyle changes are necessary. “The longer we wait, the more destruction we cause for future generations,” he concludes.

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