When does cattle farming go green? Understanding the 'Environmental Kuznets Curve'

Cattle farming is often in the spotlight of environmental debates: it’s a major source of greenhouse gases, and a driver of deforestation. Yet cattle are also a livelihood for millions of pastoralists, and the backbone of rural economies in many developing countries. This brings up a crucial question: as countries develop and their cattle industries grow, will their environmental impact eventually start to decline? Does cattle farming follow an ‘Environmental Kuznets Curve’, where pollution rises, peaks, and then falls as income increases? A recent study, published in the renowned journal Nature Scientific Reports, examined this question across Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The findings provide an eye-opening reality check and a call to action.