According to the UK Telegraph, New Zealand scientists have
developed a "flatulence inoculation" aimed at cutting down on
the massive amount of methane produced by its sheep and cows.
Why should we care (other than the fact that this is the most
hilarious headline I've ever written in a blog post!)? Methane
is a potent greenhouse gas, 21-times more powerful than carbon
dioxide, and emissions from the world's several billion
livestock animals are a major contributor to global greenhouse
gas emissions, a fact we can't ignore as we work to build a
climate friendly, prosperous future. According to a report from
the Food and Agriculture Organisation, livestock are responsible
for 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions from human
activities, more than cars, planes and all other forms of
transport put together. Of those emissions, a considerable
portion comes from methane emissions from enteric fermentation -
aka farts and belches! In fact, livestock flatulence and manure
is responsible for a full 1/3rd of global emi