Bill Gates: If Cows Were a Country, They Would Rank 3rd in Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Microsoft founder Bill Gates recently published a post to his blog Gates Notes that highlights the environmentally damaging effects of animal agriculture. The billionaire also shared an impactful image that compares the carbon dioxide emissions of the most polluting countries, with China in the lead at 10.2 gigatons annually, followed by the United States at 5.3 gigatons annually, and “Republic of Cattle” (a combination of the beef and dairy industries) in third at 5.0 gigatons annually. “If all the cattle in the world joined together to start their own country,” Gates captioned the image, “they would be the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases.” As part of his efforts to fight climate change, Gates has invested in several companies that are poised to displace animal agriculture, including vegan brand Beyond Meat and clean-meat company Memphis Meats.