Making Strides in Sustainability: Carbon and Change

Our second webinar in the "Making Strides in Sustainability" series focused on the topic of greenhouse gas emissions and the horse.

We were joined by Theun Vellinga, Iris Huisman and Hassan Pishgar Komleh, researchers from Wageningen University & Research. They have led a new study that measures the equine carbon footprint and the core contributors to a horses total GHG emissions. In their presentation, an outline of the Hoofprint study was providing, and the top line results that highlight transport, feed and manure management are the core contributors in a horses total GHG emission score. The tool they have created shows that changes in the type and quantity of feed, pasture, training and travel have clear and measurable outcomes on the total GHG emmissions. 

Following discussion of the data, Professor Nat Waran, a lead researcher and chair of the Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission helped to digest the science and start thinking about human behaviour changes in relation to social licence, and the role the climate crisis plays in obtaining a social licence.