Climate Change, Rangelands, and Sustainability of Ranching in the Western United States

Jerry L. Holechek, Hatim M. E. Geli, Andres F. Cibils and Mohammed N. Sawalhah
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Jerry L. Holechek: Department of Animal and Range Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
Hatim M. E. Geli: Department of Animal and Range Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
Andres F. Cibils: Department of Animal and Range Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
Mohammed N. Sawalhah: Department of Natural Resources in Arid Lands, Prince El-Hassan bin Talal Faculty for Arid Lands, The Hashemite University, Zarqa 13133, Jordan

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 12, 1-24

Abstract: Accelerated climate change is a global challenge that is increasingly putting pressure on the sustainability of livestock production systems that heavily depend on rangeland ecosystems. Rangeland management practices have low potential to sequester greenhouse gases. However, mismanagement of rangelands and their conversion into ex-urban, urban, and industrial landscapes can significantly exacerbate the climate change process. Under conditions of more droughts, heat waves, and other extreme weather events, management of risks (climate, biological, financial, political) will probably be more important to the sustainability of ranching than capability to expand output of livestock products in response to rising demand due to population growth. Replacing traditional domestic livestock with a combination of highly adapted livestock and game animals valued for both hunting and meat may be the best strategy on many arid rangelands. Eventually, traditional ranching could become financially unsound across large areas if climate change is not adequately addressed. Rangeland policy, management, and research will need to be heavily focused on the climate change problem.

Keywords: global change; GHG emissions; livestock and ranching production systems; drought risks; adaptation; mitigation; heat waves; energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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