Factory Farming Fuels Climate Crisis and Animal Suffering, Warns FOUR PAWS

Communities urged to adopt sustainable, humane food choices as environmental pressures mount

Cape Town, 03 June 2026 — As South Africa marks World Environment Day on 05 June and the start of National Environment Month, global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS is calling on communities, consumers and policymakers to confront the growing crisis of factory farming, warning that it lies at the heart of both climate change and widespread animal suffering.

Across the country, communities are already experiencing the effects of climate change, from prolonged droughts to flooding and other extreme weather, placing pressure on food systems, livelihoods and ecosystems. According to FOUR PAWS, intensive animal agriculture is not only contributing to these environmental challenges but is also driving one of the most severe animal welfare crises of our time.

“Factory farming is not just a food production issue, it is a climate issue and an animal welfare emergency,” says Fiona Miles, Director of FOUR PAWS South Africa. “Animals are kept in overcrowded, unnatural conditions, while the system itself accelerates climate change that further threatens their survival.”

Communities on the frontline
The adverse impacts of factory farming on communities are becoming increasingly visible. FOUR PAWS highlights that unsustainable farming practices like factory farming intensify these pressures by:
• Increasing greenhouse gas emissions
• Contributing to water and soil pollution
• Growing huge quantities of animal feed on land that could be used to grow food for humans instead, resulting in deforestation, biodiversity loss, and soil erosion.
• Increasing the risk of disease outbreaks and antimicrobial resistance.

Globally, 77% of agricultural land is used for livestock production and animal feed, placing enormous strain on natural resources and ecosystems. As environmental stress grows, animals both farm and wild face greater suffering, including heat stress, hunger, disease, and displacement.

The hidden cost for animals
Behind the production of meat and other animal products lies a system where billions of animals live in confinement, unable to express natural behaviours. According to FOUR PAWS, over 94 billion animals are farmed for food globally each year, with tens of billions raised in intensive farming systems. In South Africa and globally, factory farmed animals endure:
• Overcrowding and restricted movement
• Inadequate environmental controls, like poor air quality and lack of natural light
• Painful management practices
• Inability to express natural behaviours

“Animals are sentient beings capable of suffering, yet factory farming treats them as production units,” Miles adds. “At the same time, the climate damage caused by these systems creates even harsher conditions for animals everywhere.”

Climate, health and animal welfare: A dangerous link
FOUR PAWS warns that factory farming is also a growing public health risk, creating conditions where diseases can emerge and spread.
• 60% of all human infectious diseases originate from animals, and
• 75% of emerging diseases are zoonotic, meaning they can spread between animals and humans.

These diseases are responsible for around 2.5 billion human illness cases and 2.7 million deaths every year. At the same time, over 70% of antibiotics globally are used in animal farming, largely due to overcrowded and stressful conditions that make animals more prone to disease. If no action is taken, antimicrobial resistance could lead to tens of millions of human deaths globally by 2050.

Climate change and animal suffering
FOUR PAWS warns that factory farming creates a dangerous cycle:
• Intensive farming contributes to climate change
• Climate change causes degradation of land on which food is grown for both humans and animals, exacerbating food insecurity.

This interconnected crisis highlights the urgent need for a shift toward more humane and sustainable food systems.

Solutions start at community level
This World Environment Day, FOUR PAWS is urging South Africans to take practical steps to drive change:
• Reduce consumption of animal products
• Choose more plant-based food options
• Advocate for stronger animal welfare and environmental policies

“Every consumer choice matters,” says Miles. “By changing what we eat and how we value animals, we can reduce suffering, protect our environment, support healthier communities and live kinder.”

Call for policy action
FOUR PAWS is also calling on government to prioritise:
• The phase-out of cruel confinement systems
• Enactment of science-based, species-specific welfare laws for farm animals
• Integration of animal welfare into climate and environmental policy

“If we are serious about tackling climate change and protecting our natural heritage, we must address factory farming,” Miles concludes. “A sustainable future is one where animals, people, and the planet are all protected.”

For more information, please visit our website at www.four-paws.org.za

Author: Deidre Daniels.