Post by Will Findlay-Wilson, CFA

Livestock farming is arguably the most significant contributor to the degradation of our planet, given the impact on emissions, biodiversity loss, pollution, and soil erosion (to name a few). For anyone interested in the future of agriculture, I would recommend this podcast episode on the global food system. I am a meat eater myself, and I have long believed that provided meat avoids intensive farming, I can feel better about many of the costs listed above, and the animal misery too. Among other things, Monbiot argues that the opportunity cost of using more land for the same amount of food makes little sense when we destroy the carbon sinks that naturally keep our climate livable, not to mention beautiful: forests, wetlands, natural grasslands etc. He also delves into the potential technologies that could provide solutions, political and cultural barriers to those changes, as well as the dangers of our current globally integrated food system. Despite price rises, in the UK we have so far been sheltered from the extreme contortions of our global food system, (there is still food in the shops). Other frontier countries have not been so fortunate. Shortages of food and fertilizer caused by the war in Ukraine are ripping through parts of Africa, and the Middle East. Food shortages contributed to the downfall of Sri Lanka's government earlier this year, and Somalia is currently in a state of famine. Are these issues causing a lack of resilience, or exposing it? A final point: Zero is a fantastic podcast about the tactics and technologies taking us to a world with zero emissions. There are many different paths to Zero, and everyone has got an opinion. (George Monbiot certainly does). Akshat Rathi is also an insightful presenter, that challenges his guests whilst letting them retain the spotlight. Thank you David Caswell for introducing me to this brilliant podcast. #netzero #sustainability