jackinthebox, you are correct. From the article referenced:
Pachauri ... said diet change was important because of the huge greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental problems - including habitat
destruction - associated with rearing cattle and other animals. It was relatively easy to change eating habits compared to changing means of
transport, he said.
Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
Source:
www.guardian.co.uk...
Apparently, knowledge is not a requirement for the position. Apparently wisdom is a detriment. Meat production will not immediately decrease should
people stop eating meat. Instead, the price would drop and that would raise the amount of meat consumed, which would in turn increase the amount of
animals grown, which would increase the cost of meat, drive down the demand... in short, it would create a bi-polar meat market that would range from
cheap to inordinately expensive.
All this, to reduce methane production? Methane is not a long-lived molecule, breaking down in the earth's atmosphere to produce water and CO2. Of
course, someone is bound to argue that even the CO2 is deadly, but considering the vast herds of buffalo that roamed the plains way back when, I
don't think we are pushing the ability of the earth to handle cow burps and the resulting CO2.
Less apparent though, is the possibility that both are abundant in this report, if the true agendas are shown.
This is nothing more than a two-pronged propaganda attack: firstly, it tries to push a favorite agenda, namely vegetarianism. Secondly, it keeps the
concept of Global Warming fresh in the minds of the populace, ready and waiting for the next sensationalized article about some glacier
disintegrating.
The true agenda is control over oil (including higher prices through restrictions and carbon credits), removal of meat from the diet of the common
people*, profits from newer energy sources artificially inflated by over-regulation, and overall population control through global catastrophic scare
campaigns.
*It should be noted here that meat protein is now commonly assumed to be the major reason for initial development of human brain capacity. That brain
capacity allows individuals to think for themselves. What better way to control the masses than to prevent the consumption of that protein? Check out
the feeding habits of the wealthy; it is a safe bet to assume they will be able to continue with a diet high in meat proteins.
TheRedneck
(due to a computer malfunction, this post was created yesterday afternoon.)
[edit on 8-9-2008 by TheRedneck]
You are welcome to my share 
