Ireland Looks to Seaweed to Reduce Methane from Cows
2021-11-26
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1Scientists in Ireland are collecting native seaweed to feed to cows and sheep
2to reduce the methane gas that the farm animals release.
3Research has shown that seaweed fed to animals
4can cut the amount of the climate-warming gas they produce.
5Ireland has Europe's highest per capita output of methane gas.
6At the recent United Nations Climate Change conference in Scotland,
7Ireland joined a worldwide goal to cut output of methane gas by 30 percent by 2030.
8Irish officials have said such reductions will mostly be reached through a 50 percent cut in non-agriculture methane.
9The country expects to reduce farm-related methane by 10 percent by 2030.
10The program aims to use seaweed additives in food
11to avoid having to reduce animal numbers to reach goals related to efforts against climate change.
12About 20 different kinds of seaweed, most from Ireland's Atlantic coast, have been tested by researchers.
13Many other kinds have been collected by the project's partners in Norway, Canada, Sweden, Germany and Britain.
14American and Australian scientists have already demonstrated the methane-reducing qualities of one seaweed, called Asparagopsis.
15Small amounts were added to animal feed in tests.
16But this kind of seaweed is not easy to grow in Northwestern Europe.
17The Irish project aims to find native seaweeds within the country instead.
18But some researchers admit the local versions are not likely to reach the reduction in methane levels of over 80 percent shown with Asparagopsis.
19"We have identified some brown seaweeds that are very positive and they're producing results,"
20Maria Hayes told Reuters news agency.
21She is the project leader for the SeaSolutions project.
22The project team has reported methane reductions of between 11 and 20 percent in early tests.
23Irish researchers are working on ways to bring the seaweed additives into the nation's farming system for cattle.
24Most cattle are mainly fed grass.
25On one farm southwest of Belfast,
26treats are used to persuade cows to put their heads into a solar-powered machine that measures the level of methane on their breath.
27This same method will be used to test animals that have been fed seaweed additives.
28Dutch chemical company Royal DSM produces a food additive that it says can cut methane release by about 30 percent.
29The company said it had received government approval in Brazil and Chile and is currently seeking approval in the European Union.
30Not everyone is sure that such additives can help meet the latest climate change targets.
31Sadhbh O'Neill is a climate policy and environmental politics expert at Dublin City University.
32She has been critical of industry attempts to depend on technology rather than to seek workable long-term goals for Ireland's agriculture industry.
33"Scaling up these solutions takes time. We don't have time," O'Neill said.
34Jenny O'Halloran harvests seaweed by hand on Inis Mór island, off Ireland's west coast.
35She told Reuters she thinks interest in the industry will keep growing.
36"Maybe the future...is actually farming seaweed,
37which I think has to be part of the conversation when it comes to the future of seaweed in Ireland," O'Halloran said.
38I'm Bryan Lynn.
1Scientists in Ireland are collecting native seaweed to feed to cows and sheep to reduce the methane gas that the farm animals release. 2Research has shown that seaweed fed to animals can cut the amount of the climate-warming gas they produce. 3Ireland has Europe's highest per capita output of methane gas. 4At the recent United Nations Climate Change conference in Scotland, Ireland joined a worldwide goal to cut output of methane gas by 30 percent by 2030. 5Irish officials have said such reductions will mostly be reached through a 50 percent cut in non-agriculture methane. The country expects to reduce farm-related methane by 10 percent by 2030. 6The program aims to use seaweed additives in food to avoid having to reduce animal numbers to reach goals related to efforts against climate change. 7About 20 different kinds of seaweed, most from Ireland's Atlantic coast, have been tested by researchers. Many other kinds have been collected by the project's partners in Norway, Canada, Sweden, Germany and Britain. 8American and Australian scientists have already demonstrated the methane-reducing qualities of one seaweed, called Asparagopsis. Small amounts were added to animal feed in tests. But this kind of seaweed is not easy to grow in Northwestern Europe. 9The Irish project aims to find native seaweeds within the country instead. But some researchers admit the local versions are not likely to reach the reduction in methane levels of over 80 percent shown with Asparagopsis. 10"We have identified some brown seaweeds that are very positive and they're producing results," Maria Hayes told Reuters news agency. She is the project leader for the SeaSolutions project. The project team has reported methane reductions of between 11 and 20 percent in early tests. 11Irish researchers are working on ways to bring the seaweed additives into the nation's farming system for cattle. Most cattle are mainly fed grass. 12On one farm southwest of Belfast, treats are used to persuade cows to put their heads into a solar-powered machine that measures the level of methane on their breath. This same method will be used to test animals that have been fed seaweed additives. 13Dutch chemical company Royal DSM produces a food additive that it says can cut methane release by about 30 percent. The company said it had received government approval in Brazil and Chile and is currently seeking approval in the European Union. 14Not everyone is sure that such additives can help meet the latest climate change targets. 15Sadhbh O'Neill is a climate policy and environmental politics expert at Dublin City University. She has been critical of industry attempts to depend on technology rather than to seek workable long-term goals for Ireland's agriculture industry. 16"Scaling up these solutions takes time. We don't have time," O'Neill said. 17Jenny O'Halloran harvests seaweed by hand on Inis Mór island, off Ireland's west coast. She told Reuters she thinks interest in the industry will keep growing. 18"Maybe the future...is actually farming seaweed, which I think has to be part of the conversation when it comes to the future of seaweed in Ireland," O'Halloran said. 19I'm Bryan Lynn. 20Reuters reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. 21We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. 22____________________________________________________________ 23Words in This Story 24seaweed - n. a kind of plant that grows in the sea 25per capita - adj., adv. by or for each person 26positive - n. a good quality or result 27scale - n. the size or level of something 28conversation - n. a talk between two or more people