A/70/287 Similarly, indigenous peoples living in mountainous areas will suffer a depletion of food sources owing to the loss of alpine flora. Coastal erosion on Pacific islands is threatening agricultural practices while traditional cattle and goat farming is being endangered in arid regions. There is considerable concern that the impacts of climate change may overstrain indigenous and traditional peoples ’ capacity to cope and adapt (A/HRC/29/19). V. Impact of agriculture and food systems on climate change 41. The previous sections illustrate how climate change can undermine the right to food. The following section will provide an overview of the ways in which agriculture and food systems can negatively affect climate change, endangering the full enjoyment of the right to food. Greenhouse gas emissions 42. The food system as a whole is a significant contributor of greenhouse gas emissions. Crop and livestock agriculture currently account for about 15 per cent of global emissions. 32 Direct greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture include methane (CH 4 ) emissions from flooded rice fields and livestock, nitrous oxide (N2 O) emissions from the use of organic and inorganic nitrogen fertilizers and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions from loss of soil and organic carbon in croplands as a result of agricultural practices and in pastures as a result of increased grazing intensity. 33 In addition to these direct emissions, agriculture and food production are also responsible for an increase in indirect emissions that are accounted for in other sectors (industry, transport, energy supply, etc.), which can misleadingly understate the environmental footprint of agriculture. The production of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides as well as energy consumption for tillage, irrigation, fertilization, harvesting and transport contribute to 60 per cent of total food system emissions globally, although there is significant regional variation. The expansion of agricultural areas and changes in land use contribute an additional 15 -17 per cent of emissions. It is further estimated that future income and population growth will increase agricultural emissions dramatically unless low-emissions growth strategies for agriculture are found. 34 Role of livestock 43. The world’s current consumption pattern of meat and dairy products is a major driver of climate change and climate change can only be effectively addressed if demand for these products is reduced. Livestock systems are the source of 33 per cent of the protein in human diets, while 30 per cent of land worldwide is used to __________________ 32 33 34 15-10041 Rob Bailey, Antony Froggatt and Laura Wellesley, “Livestock — Climate Change’s Forgotten Sector: Global Public Opinion on Meat and Dairy Consumption” (London, Royal Institute of International Affairs, 2014). Available from http://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/files/ chathamhouse/field/field_document/20141203LivestockClimateChangeBaileyFroggattWellesley. pdf. High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition, “Food security and climate change”, see chap. IV, note 25. Rani Molla, “How much of the world’s greenhouse-gas emissions come from agriculture?”, Wall Street Journal, 29 September 2014. 11/25