The claim: 13 countries agreed to abolish farming
A June 4 article published by The European Union Times features a headline about a supposed international effort to “save the planet” and includes a photo of a large group of people.
“13 Nations Agree to Abolish Farming in order to ‘Save the Planet,'” reads the article’s headline.
The article was shared more than 1,000 times on Facebook in about two months, according to CrowdTangle, a social media analytics tool. Similar claims were made in posts shared on Facebook, Instagram and X, formerly Twitter.
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Our rating: False
Thirteen countries agreed to reduce methane emissions in agriculture, but they didn’t agree to abolish farming. The leader of the organization that announced the agreement said the claim is false.
Agriculture officials didn’t agree to abolish farming
The article refers to a May 17 news release from the Global Methane Hub, a global alliance of more than 20 organizations committed to reducing global methane emissions.
The news release says agriculture officials from 13 countries, including the U.S., “issued a commitment to reduce methane emissions in agriculture.”
But the release doesn’t say anything about abolishing farming.
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Marcelo Mena, CEO of the Global Methane Hub and former minister of the environment for Chile, told USA TODAY the article’s claim is “entirely inaccurate.”
“On April 14, 2023, agricultural ministers and leaders from prominent livestock-producing nations like Brazil, Australia, Uruguay, Argentina and the U.S. convened at a ministerial meeting in Chile and supported a declaration to meaningfully address methane emissions from their agricultural sectors,” Mena said in an email. “(Global Methane Hub)’s agricultural strategy is centered on helping local farmers optimize their productivity through improved feeding and animal welfare practices, and investment into research and development and breakthrough technologies.”
None of the event collaborators, which included the Climate and Clean Air Coalition and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, have made an announcement about ending farming.
Instead, the organizations recommend measures such as livestock manure management and genetic engineering of livestock to lower methane emissions.
USA TODAY reached out to the European Union Times for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
PolitiFact also debunked the claim.
Our fact-check sources:
- Marcelo Mena, Aug. 8, Email exchange with USA TODAY
- Global Methane Hub, accessed Aug. 8, Home
- Global Methane Hub, May 17, Major Livestock Producing Countries Commit to Mitigate Methane in Agriculture
- Climate & Clean Air Coalition, accessed Aug. 8, BENEFITS AND COSTS OF MITIGATING METHANE EMISSIONS
- CLEAR Center, Jan. 6, A Summary of the UN FAO Methane Emissions in Livestock and Rice Systems
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