Manifesto

November 2024

Volta Greentech’s mission remains steadfast: to enable agriculture to meet climate targets. The methane released by cows through enteric fermentation accounts for 4% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e) - double the emissions from the world’s airplanes. It is the largest single source of agricultural greenhouse gasses.

With approximately 1.5 billion cows and 1 billion sheep feeding a significant portion of the global population, the debate around the role of animals in our food system is vital. We encourage this discussion, aiming for positive change amidst the reality of our current practices' impact on the planet, other species, and human health.

The future of food and the role of ruminants, especially cows, in agriculture, are complex and debated topics. Our role at Volta Greentech is to address the immediate: a billion cows, along with numerous sheep, contributing significantly to planetary warming amid a rapidly intensifying climate crisis.

Our solution, feeding a daily supplement, can drastically reduce enteric methane emissions from both cows and sheep. It’s important that it gets done, and that we do it in parallel to other initiatives within the food and agriculture sector that drive positive change for the climate, the wellbeing of animals, and for human health.

Over 20 years, methane's global warming potential is 81 times that of CO2. Reducing enteric methane emissions is crucial for mitigating global warming and achieving climate targets. Just like we have catalytic converters for cars to reduce key pollutants by 90-99%, our solution works as a catalytic converter for ruminants, radically reducing methane emissions.

While our approach to reducing methane emissions from cows and sheep is widely recognized for its potential rapid impact on global warming, we understand the concerns about supporting an industry with environmental and animal welfare issues. This has been a key consideration from the start.

Originally, we focused on production and partnering with existing brands to implement our emissions reduction solution. We learned the industry needs incentives and consumer or legislative pressure for change. We need to inspire consumers and legislators that emission reduction in beef and dairy is possible.

This puts an enormous responsibility on our shoulders.

Firstly, we aim to attract consumers who would otherwise choose conventional, non-emission-reduced beef or dairy. We do not advocate increasing beef and dairy consumption over plant-based alternatives.

Secondly, we select beef and dairy partners committed to sustainability and improved animal welfare. Our mission fails if we reduce methane emissions but support harmful practices.

Thirdly, our production process is designed to minimize environmental impact, a goal we continuously strive to improve.

In all these areas we will always need to improve. They will be on top of our minds to make sure our solution to reduce methane emissions from the agriculture sector truly makes a significant positive impact not only on the climate but on the food system as a whole.

We’re currently in what scientists call Code Red for humanity. Rapid and aggressive emission reduction using all available tools is vital. Our goal is to eliminate the 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions orginating from cows. We may not have all the answers, but we believe reducing these emissions is the right thing to do.