Reining in the Methane Hoofprint of Cows in California

California has long been a leader in tackling climate change, from technology-pushing policies for clean vehicles and major clean energy investments to spearheading the country’s largest carbon trading system. Besides well-publicized climate action in the power and vehicle sectors, California—a top dairy-producing state—has also been quietly leading the country in reducing methane emissions from livestock, which is responsible for 94 percent of methane emissions in U.S. agriculture. California’s highly successful incentive-based approach for dairy methane reduction has become a model for some of the Biden Administration’s $20 billion climate-smart agriculture grants and investments. California’s livestock policies and practices also offer a roadmap for China and other countries.  

At this talk speakers from California will highlight how the state has accelerated climate action around methane from cows. Ken Alex (UC Berkeley) will kick off the panel by talking about the broader challenge of cows and methane emissions globally and in California. Ermias Kebreab (UC Davis) will share his story on developing and commercializing new feedstocks using red seaweed and almond husks that lower cow methane emissions. Matthew Botill (California Air Resources Board) will discuss how California Air Resources Board’s emission trading around agriculture and capacity-building programs have been instrumental in accelerating methane reductions in livestock, as well as rice.  As a commentator, Xiaopu Sun (Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development) will talk about methane action in China.

This event is also co-sponsored by UC Berkeley’s California-China Climate Institute, and is part of a series of webinars produced for China Environment Forum and Ohio State University’s project on Cultivating U.S. and Chinese Leadership on Food and Climate.