A live(stock) issue: The prospects for addressing agricultural emissions within the current regime complex for climate change

Abstract

Globally, climate change is an ever increasing concern. Climate science and technology are constantly developing, allowing us to better understand the changing climate. Global warming is a result of greenhouse gas emissions from human activities being continually discharged into the atmosphere, causing the atmosphere to thicken and the planet to warm. Evidence of Earth’s warming is becoming increasingly apparent; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed 2015 was Earth’s warmest year on record. Of the fifteen warmest years on record, fourteen have occurred in this century – with the exception of 1999. Climate scientists have warned 2016 will conform to tradition and set a new record. This trend is likely to continue unless emissions are significantly reduced. The warmer the atmosphere the more energetic and humid it becomes and, combined with higher ocean surface temperatures and sea-levels, this creates the ideal environment for increasingly destructive weather events.