A talk by Dr. Kevin Fingerman of Cal Poly Humboldt.
Monday November 7 on Zoom at 7pm.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81818106986?pwd=dHk3ZGRBeVpWdnlYRjBOWEdtdlR2UT09
Animal agriculture is an increasingly important driver of climate change, representing more than 5% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in California but more than 50% of the emissions of methane – a powerful GHG that is an important target of climate mitigation strategies. One approach to abating methane pollution is the installation of biodigesters to manage the manure from feedlot operations, capturing methane for use as an energy source. However, policies in California that have promoted these systems seem to be backfiring. They are creating windfall profits for industrial dairy operations, rewarding methane emitters and tilting the economic playing field in milk (and pork) production in favor of facilities that produce the most methane pollution. This could contribute to industry consolidation and larger, more concentrated facilities that can create significant environmental and public health burdens. This presentation will investigate the contours of this emerging problem at the nexus of California climate policy, agriculture, and environmental justice and will discuss some potential approaches to addressing the issue.
Dr. Kevin Fingerman is an Associate Professor of Environmental Science & Management at Cal Poly Humboldt. His research employs life cycle assessment and technoeconomic modeling tools to evaluate the broad-based impacts of bioenergy and transportation systems and policies. Kevin has consulted on these issues for California regulatory agencies, the European Commission, the Sierra Club, Friends of the Earth, and the Union of Concerned Scientists. Before moving to Humboldt, he worked in Rome for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization; he holds MS and PhD degrees from UC Berkeley’s Energy & Resources Group.