Technical Report Livestock And Climate Change: Assessment Of Emissions, Mitigation Options And Adaptation Strategies

While Mediterranean livestock are particularly vulnerable to climate change, the livestock
sector is responsible for about 14.5% of anthropogenic GHG emissions worldwide. There is a
challenge in developing complementary adaptation and mitigation strategies for the sector, in
accordance with the Paris Agreement on climate change and Sustainable Development
Goals.
Livestock hold a particularly high potential in the region to enhance food security whilst
mitigating emissions in a changing climate. However, understanding GHG emission sources
from biogenic processes within complex production systems is critical to develop effective
strategies. For example, feed and forage production represent nearly half of the emissions
from livestock at global level and strongly influence enteric methane and manure emissions.
At the same time, the same feed and forage production is threatened by the effects of
climate change (e.g. drought) and there is a strong need to build long term resilience.
This course will provide knowledge on the processes underlying GHG emissions and soil
carbon sinks (according to the 4 per 1000 target), measuring methodologies and modelling
tools in livestock systems. Methods for national GHG invent rie . and mitigation options
analysis, including socio-economic assessment, will be presented. Adaptation strategies will
be reviewed and synergies with mitigation strategies will be explored. Practical work based
on real case studies in Mediterranean conditions will also be undertaken.