{"id":425186,"date":"2026-02-08T17:29:57","date_gmt":"2026-02-08T16:29:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=425186"},"modified":"2026-02-08T17:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-08T16:30:00","slug":"a-brilliant-take-on-cows-methane-and-climate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=425186","title":{"rendered":"A BRILLIANT take on cows, methane, and climate"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"A<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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The phrase “A BRILLIANT take on cows, methane, and climate” directly refers to a widely shared perspective that challenges the mainstream narrative blaming cattle for significantly driving climate change via their methane (CH\u2084) burps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This view centers on the biogenic carbon cycle: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cows eat grass that has recently absorbed CO\u2082 from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They digest it, releasing methane as a byproduct of rumen fermentation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That methane breaks down in the atmosphere over about 10\u201312 years into CO\u2082 and water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If herd sizes remain stable (not growing), the CO\u2082 gets reabsorbed by new grass regrowth, creating a roughly closed loop with no net long-term addition of warming gases to the atmosphere- unlike fossil fuel CO\u2082, which adds ancient carbon that accumulates for centuries to millennia.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The biogenic carbon cycle (also called the biogenic methane cycle in the context of ruminant livestock) is a natural, relatively short- loop process that recycles carbon through living organisms, the atmosphere, and back again- primarily involving plants, ruminant animals (like cows, sheep, and goats), and soil. It contrasts sharply with the fossil carbon cycle, where burning ancient fuels adds “new” carbon that has been locked away for millions of years and accumulates in the atmosphere over centuries to millennia.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Diagram<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Watts Up With That?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Anthony Watts<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Every once in a while, the climate chaos noise gets condensed into something simple. Reduced to fact in the crucible of truth. This\u00a0post on X<\/a>\u00a0was one of those moments:<\/p>\n\n\n

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Activist: "Every cow adds carbon to the atmosphere."
Farmer: "Only if the total number of cows is increasing."
Activist: "What?"
Farmer: "Stable populations are carbon neutral. Methane breaks down in twelve years back to CO2. Same CO2 the grass absorbed last year."
Activist: "But\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/hIFigijFNQ<\/a><\/p>— Sama Hoole (@SamaHoole) February 3, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>