Çiftlik Hayvanları ve İklim Değişikliği Arasındaki Karşılıklı Etkileşim

Abstract

Gezegenin insan kaynaklı müdahaleleri sonucu maruz kaldığı küresel ısınmaya bağlı olarak gelişen iklim değişikliği, Dünya Meteoroloji Örgütü’nün verilerine göre, 2024 yılında 1.5 °C küresel artış oranıyla şimdiye kadar kaydedilen en sıcak yıl olarak ilan edilmiştir. Dünya Meteoroloji Örgütü’nün 2025 verilerine göre ise küresel ortalama sıcaklık, sanayi öncesi döneme (1850-1900) kıyasla yaklaşık 1.55 ± 0.13 °C daha yüksek ölçülmüştür. Birleşmiş Milletler Gıda ve Tarım Örgütü verilerine göre, hayvancılık sektörü, yıllık yaklaşık 7.1 gigaton karbondioksit eşdeğeri (CO₂-eq) sera gazı salımı ile toplam insan kaynaklı emisyonların yaklaşık % 14.5’ini oluşturmaktadır. Toplam sera gazı emisyonlarının yaklaşık % 44’ü geviş getiren hayvanlarda gerçekleşen enterik fermantasyon sonucu oluşan metan (CH₄), % 23.3’ü gübre yönetimindeki yetersiz uygulamalardan kaynaklanan CH₄ ve nitröz oksit (N₂O), % 9’u ise yem üretimi ve arazi kullanımına bağlı emisyonlardan oluşmaktadır. Çiftlik hayvanları arasında en yüksek emisyon payı sığırlara (% 62) ait olup, bunu domuzlar (% 14), tavuklar (% 9), mandalar (% 8) ve koyun-keçiler (% 7) izlemektedir. Koyun ve keçilerin etkisinin düşük olmasında, serbest hayvancılık uygulamaları ve doğal mera alanlarına dayalı beslenme sistemi etkili olmaktadır. İklim değişikliği; ısı stresine bağlı verim kayıpları, hayvansal ürünlerin besin kalitesinde azalma, hayvanlarda üreme performansının düşmesi, hayvan refahının olumsuz etkilenmesi, zoonoz hastalıklarda artış ve bu hastalıkların vektörel yayılımına zemin hazırlamaktadır. Aynı zamanda mera kalitesinde bozulma, yem bitkilerinin azalması, ekonomik tarımsal sürdürülebilirliğin ve küresel gıda güvenliğinin tehdit altına girmesi gibi çok yönlü olumsuzluklara yol açmaktadır. İklim değişikliği, hayvansal üretimi olumsuz etkilerken hayvansal üretim kaynaklı sera gazı emisyonları da iklim değişikliğini doğrudan tetiklemekte ve bu döngü, çift yönlü bir nedensellik ilişkisini ortaya çıkarmaktadır. Bu diyalektik ilişki endüstriyel hayvancılık sistemlerinde yapısal dönüşüm ihtiyacını gündeme getirmekte ve ekolojik temelli, doğal üretim modellerine geçişi zorunlu kılmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, iklim değişikliğinin hayvansal üretim üzerindeki etkilerini ve hayvancılık kaynaklı sera gazı emisyonlarının küresel ısınmaya katkısını bütüncül bir bakış açısıyla değerlendirmektir.

Keywords

• İklim değişikliği
• hayvansal üretim
• karbon ayak izi
• sera gazları
• sürdürülebilirlik

The Interplay Between Farm Animals and Climate Change

Abstract

Climate change resulting from anthropogenic global warming has led to significant environmental challenges. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 2024 was recorded as the hottest year with a global temperature increase of 1.5 °C. The 2025 data indicate that the global average temperature is approximately 1.55 ± 0.13 °C higher than the pre-industrial period (1850-1900). The Food and Agriculture Organization reports that the livestock sector contributes about 7.1 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂-eq) greenhouse gas emissions annually, representing roughly 14.5% of total anthropogenic emissions. Approximately 44% of total greenhouse gas emissions come from methane (CH₄) produced by enteric fermentation in ruminant animals, 23.3% come from CH₄ and nitrous oxide (N₂O) resulting from inadequate manure management practices, and 9% come from emissions related to feed production and land use. Among farm animals, cattle account for the highest share of emissions (62%), followed by pigs (14%), chickens (9%), buffalo (8%), and sheep and goats (7%). The lower emissions from sheep and goats are related to extensive grazing and reliance on natural pastures. Climate change causes yield losses due to heat stress, a decrease in the nutritional quality of animal products, a decline in reproductive performance in animals, negative effects on animal welfare, an increase in zoonotic diseases, and creates conditions conducive to the vector-borne spread of these diseases. It also leads to multifaceted negative consequences such as deterioration in pasture quality, reduction in forage crops, and threats to economic agricultural sustainability and global food security. While climate change negatively affects animal production, greenhouse gas emissions from animal production also directly trigger climate change, creating a two-way causal relationship. This dialectical relationship highlights the need for structural transformation in industrial livestock systems and necessitates a transition to ecologically based, natural production models. The aim of this study is to assess the effects of climate change on animal production and the contribution of livestock-related greenhouse gas emissions to global warming from a holistic perspective.

Keywords

• Climate change
• animal production
• carbon footprint
• greenhouse gases
• sustainability

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