Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Stakeholders on Meat Production, Meat Consumption and Mitigation of Climate Change: Sweden as a Case

  • Articles
  • Published:
Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this paper we analyse and discuss the views of Swedish stakeholders on how to mitigate climate change to the extent it is caused by meat production. The stakeholders include meat producer organisations, governmental agencies with direct influence on meat production, political parties as well as non-governmental organisations. Representatives of twelve organisations were interviewed. Several organisations argued against the mitigation option of reducing beef production despite the higher greenhouse gas intensity of beef compared to pork and chicken meat (according to life cycle analysis). Regarding feed production some organisations proposed use of the best available industrial fertilizers, others were against all use of such fertilizers. Several organizations suggested domestic production of more protein-rich fodder and use of manure for biogas production. Regarding meat consumption the focus was on throwing away less food as waste and on eating less meat but the best (most climate friendly) meat, which was considered to be Swedish meat in contrast to imported meat. There was agreement on many issues. Most disagreement was found regarding political steering. We find many of the stakeholders’ mitigation proposals regarding meat production and consumption acceptable. However, we are to some extent critical to their defence of Swedish beef production. We also point out certain problems with the suggestion to reduce consumption of imported meat but not of domestically produced meat.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alcott, B. (2008). The sufficiency strategy: Would rich-world frugality lower environmental impact? Ecological Economics, 64, 770–786.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allard, V., Soussana, J.-F., Falcimagne, R., Berbigier, P., Bonnefond, J. M., Ceschia, E., et al. (2007). The role of grazing management for the net biome productivity and greenhouse gas budget (CO2, N2O and CH4) of semi-natural grassland. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 121, 47–58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Audsley, E., Brander, M., Chatterton, J., Murphy-Bokern, D., Webster, C., & Williams, A. (2009). How low can we go? An assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from the UK food system and the scope to reduce them by 2050. FCRN-WWF-UK. http://assets.wwf.org.uk/downloads/how_low_report_1.pdf. Accessed 4 July 2012.

  • Cederberg, C., Flysjö, A., Sonesson, U., Sund, V., & Davis, J. (2009a). Greenhouse gas emissions from Swedish consumption of meat, milk and eggs 1990 and 2005. The Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology (SIK). Report No. 794. www.sik.se/archive/pdf-filer-katalog/SR794.pdf. Accessed 4 July 2012.

  • Cederberg, C., Meyer, D., & Flysjö, A. (2009b). Life cycle inventory of greenhouse gas emissions and use of land and energy in Brazilian beef production. The Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology (SIK). Report No. 792. www.sik.se/archive/pdf-filer-katalog/SR792.pdf. Accessed 4 July 2012.

  • Cederberg, C., Sonesson, U., Henriksson, M., Sund, V., & Davis, J. (2009c). Greenhouse gas emissions from Swedish production of meat, milk and eggs 1990 and 2005. The Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology (SIK). Report No. 793. www.sik.se/archive/pdf-filer-katalog/SR793.pdf. Accessed 4 July 2012.

  • Deutsch, L., Lannerstad, M., & Ran, Y. (2011). Responsible environmental choices for a sustainable “Livestock Revolution”. Background paper for The Stockholm Dialogue on Global SustainabilitySeizing Planetary Opportunities, May 19, 2011. Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University.

  • Federation of Swedish Farmers. (2008). Affärsutveckling för gårdsbaserad biogas. Stockholm: Lantbrukarnas riksförbund (LRF).

    Google Scholar 

  • Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). (2009). The state of food and agriculture: Livestock in balance. Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Organization, Rome, www.fao.org/docrep/012/i0680e/i0680e00.htm. Accessed 4 July 2012.

  • Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). (2012). Statistics. http://faostat.fao.org/site/610/DesktopDefault.aspx?PageID=610#ancor. Accessed 4 July 2012.

  • Garnett, T. (2009). Livestock-related greenhouse gas emissions: Impacts and options for policy makers. Environmental Science & Policy, 12, 491–503.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hsieh, H.-F., & Shannon, S. E. (2005). Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative Health Research, 15(9), 1277–1288.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). (2007). Climate change 2007: Synthesis report, www.ipcc.ch. Accessed 4 July 2012.

  • Lerner, H. (2008). The concepts of health, well-being and welfare as applied to animals. A philosophical analysis of the concepts with regard to the differences between animals. Ph. D. Thesis. Linköping Studies in Arts and Science No. 438. Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Health and Society, Linköping University, Linköping.

  • McMichael, A. J., Powles, J. W., Butler, C. D., & Uaua, R. (2007). Food, livestock production, energy, climate change, and health. The Lancet, 370, 1253–1263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nordgren, A. (2012a). Ethical issues in mitigation of climate change: The option of reduced meat production and consumption. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 25, 563–584.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nordgren, A. (2012b). Meat and global warming: impact models, mitigation approaches and ethical aspects. Environmental Values (accepted).

  • Oreskes, N. (2004). The scientific consensus on climate change. Science, 306, 1686.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2007). Nursing research. Generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice (8th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steinfeld, H., Gerber, P., Wassenaar, T., Castel, V., Rosales, M., & de Haan, C. (2006). Livestock’s long shadow: Environmental issues and options. Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), Rome, www.fao.org. Accessed 4 July 2012.

  • The Swedish Board of Agriculture. (2010). Inlagring av kol i betesmark. Rapport, 2010, 25.

  • The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. (2012). Environmental objectives portal. http://www.miljomal.se/Environmental-Objectives-Portal. Accessed 4 July 2012.

  • Williams, A. G., Audsley, E., & Sandars, D. L. (2006). Determining the environmental burdens and resource use in the production of agricultural and horticultural commodities. Main Report. Defra Research Project IS0205. Bedford: Cranfield University and Defra. www.silsoe.cranfield.ac.uk, and www.defra.gov.uk. Accessed 4 July 2012.

  • Wirsenius, S., Hedenus, F., & Mohlin, K. (2011). Greenhouse gas taxes on animal food products: Rationale, tax scheme and climate mitigation effects. Climatic Change, 108, 159–184.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The research for this paper was funded by The Swedish Research Council (contract no. 2008–1926). We are grateful to all organizations and informants participating in the study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Henrik Lerner.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lerner, H., Algers, B., Gunnarsson, S. et al. Stakeholders on Meat Production, Meat Consumption and Mitigation of Climate Change: Sweden as a Case. J Agric Environ Ethics 26, 663–678 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10806-012-9420-0

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10806-012-9420-0

Keywords

Navigation