RMS FOR BEEF CATTLE

Reports Fair Finance Guide Netherlands. (2021). Dutch banks and the protein transition. The report assesses the investments and policies of ten Dutch banks in relation to the shift towards plant-based protein sources. It reveals that most banks are still heavily invested in the animal protein industry, despite the growing demand for sustainable and plant-based protein alternatives. IPCC. (2022). Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of climate change. Working Group III contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report, Working Group III emphasizes that diets high in plant protein and low in meat and dairy are associated with lower GHG emissions, and presents potential pathways to limit global warming to 1.5°C or 2°C above pre-industrial levels. It highlights the urgent need for action at all levels to achieve these targets and prevent the worst impacts of climate change.

Analysis Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), The Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) (May 2022): Mainstreaming animal welfare in sustainable development: a policy agenda Developments in science and ethics show that safeguarding animal welfare is an important goal in its own right. Nevertheless, animal welfare remains a marginal issue in sustainable development governance. In 2015, the world’s governments adopted a universal development agenda, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which expresses a desire for a world in which humanity lives in harmony with nature and in which wildlife and other living species are protected.

Websites FAIRR FAIRR (Farm Animal Investment Risk and Return) is an investor network that seeks to promote sustainable practices in animal agriculture and reduce the industry's impact on the environment, public health, and animal welfare. Their reports page is a good resource for those interested in the industry, with reports like 'An Industry Infected' and 'the Protein Producer Index' providing insights into the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks and opportunities associated with animal agriculture, including antimicrobial resistance, and assess the sustainability performance of global protein producers respectively, making them useful resources for investors, stakeholders, and anyone interested in the industry Reports React. (2019). When the drugs don’t work: Antibiotic resistance as a global development problem. The report provides a comprehensive overview of how antibiotic overuse in livestock is contributing to the growing threat of antibiotic resistance, which is harming global development efforts. The report highlights the need for urgent action to address this issue and calls for increased awareness, research, and regulation to promote responsible antibiotic use in animal agriculture.

Reports World Animal Protection (2020). Big meat. Big bucks. Bigger harm This report investigates the links of European financial institutions with the biggest drivers of deforestation in the Amazon and Cerrado regions, with a special focus on animal welfare. WWF (2021) Bringing It Down To Earth: Nature Risk and Agriculture This report highlights how unsustainable production practices present systemic risks across our food and financial systems, and how shifting to more sustainable practices can unlock benefits for people and planet. HM Treasury (2021) The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review An independent global review on the economics of biodiversity led by Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta, which emphasises the impact of an animal-protein heavy diet on our ecological footprint. IPBES. (2019). Global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services This report explains that the uniformity (or monocultures) that characterize agro-industrial systems, together with their reliance on pesticides and chemical fertilizers leads to negative outcomes. These can be avoided by transitioning to sustainable practices such as agroecology and organic farming. If scaled up and combined with measures such as food waste reduction and the production of food instead of feed, sustainable agricultural practices use less land and can generate positive environmental outcomes.

Reports Twine, R., Sustainability 2021. Emissions from Animal Agriculture—16.5% Is the New Minimum Figure This article accomplishes two goals: firstly, it contributes to the clarification of the quantification of emissions from animal agriculture, and secondly, it considers why the dominant framing of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) on this subject focuses on maximizing production efficiency. Specifically, analysing the FAO’s own work on this topic shows that the often-used FAO estimate that emissions from animal agriculture amount to 14.5% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is now out of date. Clark et al, 2020. Global food system emissions could preclude achieving the 1.5° and 2°C climate change targets. Science 370:705–708 This publication shows that even if fossil fuel emissions were immediately halted, current trends in global food systems would prevent the achievement of the 1.5°C target and, by the end of the century, threaten the achievement of the 2°C target. The researchers state that meeting the 1.5°C target requires rapid and ambitious changes to food systems.

Reports The Francis Crick Memorial Memorial Conference. (2012). The Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness The Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness is a 2012 document stating that non-human animals possess the neural substrates necessary for consciousness, and there is evidence they are sentient beings. It calls for greater understanding and recognition of animal consciousness and has been widely cited in discussions about animal welfare and ethics. IFC, (2014). Good Practice Note: Improving Animal Welfare in Livestock Operations The International Finance Corporation's "Global Practice Note on Animal Welfare" highlights the importance of international principles, norms, and standards for animal welfare. It provides a framework for addressing and mitigating animal welfare risks, which the Responsible Minimum Standards of the FARMS Initiative build upon to further improve animal welfare in the protein production and consumption chain. Websites FAOStat is a website that provides comprehensive statistics about animal production, which can be useful for researchers, policymakers, and anyone interested in the global agriculture industry.

Reports Food System Economics Commission (2024). The Economics of the Food System Transformation On 29 January 2024, leading experts from the Food System Economics Commission (FSEC) unveiled a new economic model that maps the impacts of two possible futures for the global food system. The report builds on an extensive set of background papers, commissioned or produced by the Food System Economics Commission Secretariat. The full set of papers is available at foodsystemeconomics.org.

Reports Climate Bonds Initiative. (2021). Agriculture Criteria Climate Bonds Standard & Certification Scheme This Criteria document of the Climate Bonds Initiative provides all the requirements that must be met for agriculture related assets and projects to be awarded Climate Bonds Certification. In its section on animal welfare requirements, the document refers to the RMS of the FARMS Initiative. UNEP FI. (2020). ESG Guide for Non-Life Insurance: Managing Environmental, Social and Governance Risks and Opportunities This report provides guidance to non-life insurance companies on integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into their business operations and decision-making processes. The FARMS Initiative is referenced in the chapter on Risk Mitigation and Good Practices as a framework for identifying and mitigating ESG risks. UNEP FI. (2019). Guidance Document for the Principles for Responsible Banking This report provides guidance to banks on how to implement the Principles for Responsible Banking framework and align their business practices with sustainability goals. The document references the Initiative's Farm Animal Responsible Minimum Standards (FARMS) as a key resource in the chapter on Principle 3: Clients and Customers, which highlights the importance of engaging with stakeholders to achieve sustainable outcomes.