Agricultural Drivers: Key
Questions about Cattle Ranching
Intensification Projects (CRIPS)
Geoff Evans
Humane Society International
27 November 2012
(Animal) Agriculture as a Driver
• 1980-2000: >55% new tropical
agricultural land at expense of
intact forests
• 70% of previously forested
Amazon used as pasture
Michelle Riley/The HSUS
Cattle Ranching Intensification
Projects (CRIPS)
• What are they?
– reducing GHGs by increasing the intensity of cattle
product output per unit pastureland
• Potential benefits?
– Increase production but without exacerbating
• Deforestation
• Deforestation-related climate change
Key Questions/Concerns for CRIPS
1. May incentivize further deforestation.
2. Heavy reliance on private sector players.
3. No safeguards for animal welfare, or
accounting for additional environmental
externalities.
4. Not pro poor.
5. Necessary government mechanisms are not
sufficiently functional.
Cary Smith/The HSUS
Thank you.
Thank you!