Methane from cattle: facing realities in the global south

• Enteric methane emissions from beef in the Global South have grown to constitute 79 percent of the global total. • Meanwhile, enteric methane emissions from beef in the Global North have fallen 32 percent since 1980. • This decline can be traced to improved feed rations, genetic improvements, and better veterinary care. • In the Global South, feed additives are not a promising short-cut to contain emissions, because most animals are still finished on pasture. • Conventional productivity improvements will bring methane abatement indirectly, and are a better place to start.