{"id":539254,"date":"2021-09-16T13:03:02","date_gmt":"2021-09-16T17:03:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/business-leaders-global-experts-convene-in-effort-to-move-livestock-production-to-climate-neutrality-and-achieve-zero-hunger\/"},"modified":"2021-09-16T13:03:02","modified_gmt":"2021-09-16T17:03:02","slug":"business-leaders-global-experts-convene-in-effort-to-move-livestock-production-to-climate-neutrality-and-achieve-zero-hunger","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/business-leaders-global-experts-convene-in-effort-to-move-livestock-production-to-climate-neutrality-and-achieve-zero-hunger\/","title":{"rendered":"Business Leaders, Global Experts Convene in Effort to Move Livestock Production to Climate-Neutrality and Achieve Zero Hunger"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Business Leaders, Global Experts Convene in Effort to Move Livestock Production to Climate-Neutrality and Achieve Zero Hunger<\/b><\/p>\n

Science-based solutions explored, focus areas identified during landmark dialogue on how to balance nourishing the world while curbing climate impact<\/i><\/p>\n

GREENFIELD, Ind.–(BUSINESS WIRE<\/a>)–
\nGlobal leaders from one of the world\u2019s largest industries converged this week at the Sustainable Solutions for Zero Hunger by 2030: A Vision for Animal Agriculture Forum to explore solutions to combat climate change while keeping the world nourished. Held ahead of the United Nation\u2019s Food Systems Summit, more than 600 global business leaders, policymakers and key opinion leaders from a dozen countries convened to accelerate existing efforts moving livestock production toward climate-neutrality.\n<\/p>\n

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https:\/\/www.businesswire.com\/news\/home\/20210916005720\/en\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Jeff<\/p>\n

Jeff Simmons, CEO Elanco Animal Health and H.E. Agnes Kalibata, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to the 2021 Food Systems Summit, discuss the role animals can play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of zero hunger and curbing climate change in advance of next week’s UN Food Systems Summit. (Photo: Business Wire)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Issues: Hunger and Climate Change <\/b><\/p>\n

\nThe day highlighted the urgent, time-sensitive issues of hunger and climate change. According to the United Nations, the world has just nine years left to curb emissions or see irreversible damage to the planet. Meanwhile, a full 30% of the world\u2019s population lacked year-round access to adequate nutrition in 2020, leading to problems ranging from hunger to obesity to malnutrition.1<\/sup><\/p>\n

\nRight now, an estimated 811 million people globally face hunger2<\/sup> and the world\u2019s population is estimated to grow by an additional two billion in the coming decades3<\/sup>, increasing protein demand even more. That demand must be met in an environmentally sensitive way to avoid additional strain on the environment. The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report4<\/sup> detailed a grim future if greenhouse gases remain unchecked for another few years.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThis is a level of urgency we haven\u2019t faced before, and it\u2019s a level of urgency that intersects social, economic and environmental challenges,\u201d said Jeff Simmons, president and CEO at Elanco. \u201cWe\u2019re seeing the interconnection between calories and climate, and how meat, milk, fish and eggs play an absolutely critical role to achieve zero hunger and climate neutrality. Constituents from across the globe gathered to discuss potential ways to collaborate and catalyze change, making this the decade of opportunity for animal agriculture, as we aim to both feed the world and cool the climate.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nParticipation from key government officials rounded out the day\u2019s discussion. \u201cI understand the role and place of animal protein,\u201d said Dr. Agnes Kalibata, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to the 2021 Food Systems Summit. \u201cThe UN Food Systems Summit next week recognizes that we need to come through on our Sustainable Development Goals, and this industry has the ability to do that. Animals may be part of the problem, but there are also ways that they can be part of the solution.”\n<\/p>\n

The Opportunity <\/b><\/p>\n

\nThe livestock producers are the only industry segment that sits at the center of both climate and calories. Animal protein \u2013 meat, milk, fish and eggs \u2013 represents 18% of the calories consumed globally, and 40% of protein intake.5 <\/sup><\/p>\n

\nWith decisive action, animals can be a critical, fast-moving solution to positively impact global climate warming through the reduction of methane.\n<\/p>\n

\nBoth methane and carbon dioxide (CO2) are greenhouse gases contributing to the rapid pace of global warming. CO2 stays in the atmosphere for upwards of 1,000 years while methane remains for roughly 12 years.6<\/sup> By significantly reducing methane emissions by just a third, achieving climate-neutral meat and milk, the overall rate of warming can slow, providing valuable time to address the more complex, long-term impacts of CO2.7 <\/sup><\/p>\n

Next Steps<\/b><\/p>\n

\nBusiness leaders from across the animal protein supply chain met to discuss some of the key challenges and opportunities to accelerate action towards zero hunger and climate neutrality. Discussion focused on the four key areas where progress is needed to help enable the Sustainable Development Goal outcomes by 2030: measurement, innovation, market creation, and communication. Companies discussed their contributions and commitments as well as opportunities to identify a larger common understanding on the way to achieve hunger and climate goals.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWe\u2019re talking about the success of the future of humanity and planet Earth. That\u2019s an important topic and it has a huge intersection to livestock agriculture,\u201d said Sara Place, Ph.D. and Chief Sustainability Officer at Elanco. \u201cWe have a level of dedication to solving this issue. And I\u2019m bullish on our ability to solve this, we just have to invest in it.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nAhead of the upcoming U.N. Food Systems Summit and Climate Change Conference (COP26), animal protein industry leaders requested the opportunity to work in partnership with the U.N., elected officials, experts and other key stakeholders to identify and deliver critical solutions in nutrition and climate change that also unlock economic opportunity.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cI believe in the next five to seven years we will be able to reduce the emissions associated with livestock by as much as 70% through innovations across the production process,\u201d said Mike McCloskey, Co-Founder and CEO of Select Milk Producers. \u201cThese range from methods to reduce emissions associated with forage and grain production to genetic selection for improved feed efficiency or for animals that naturally emit less methane and finally to feed ingredients that improve feed digestibility or reduce enteric methane production. These are opportunities for the world, whether you have 1 cow or 1,000 cows.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\nThe Sustainable Solutions for Zero Hunger forum was presented by Elanco Animal Health (NYSE: ELAN) and Agri-Pulse and featured the following experts:\n<\/p>\n