How food is produced and how land is used are hot topics in debates on the related challenges of the climate and biodiversity. But not all food production is the same.
Pastoralists are sometimes blamed for climate change and harm to ecosystems, but PASTRES research suggests how they can be part of caring relationships with the land, wildlife and climate.
Climate change
Explore our briefings and resources on climate change debates and the role of pastoral systems.
Biodiversity
Learn about the relationships of pastoralists with biodiversity and landscapes where they live and work.
Videos
Are livestock always bad for the planet?
Watch our short video responding to the key debates on climate and pastoralism.
Biodiversity and pastoralism
Watch our short video about pastoral systems and their relationships with biodiversity.
Find out more
Read our summaries of PASTRES work on these themes, with many links and suggestions for further reading.
Livestock and climate change
Livestock are an important contributor to greenhouse gases and therefore climate change. But which livestock and where are to blame? Too often all livestock are lumped together, with industrial livestock systems being talked about in the same breath as extensive, mobile systems like pastoralism.
Pastoralists as conservationists
Pastoralists are often blamed for environmental destruction. Although there are conditions where concentrations of people and animals can cause damage, there are also many misunderstandings about the ecologies of rangelands and pastoralism, and pastoralists can be important allies in conservation efforts.
Pastoralism, Uncertainty and Resilience - PASTRES 