Aussies urged: 'Go green, eat roo'

Australians have been advised to eat kangaroo steaks instead of beef to help fight climate change

Throwing a traditional steak on the barbie could become part of Australia’s past, as Australians are being urged to stop eating beef and switch to kangaroo instead. Cows and sheep produce a large amount of the ozone-unfriendly gas methane as part of their digestion process, but kangaroos produce virtually no methane, making them a greener meat to eat.

Ross Garnaut, the chief climate change advisor in Australia, suggested that families swap beef and lamb for the low-emission kangaroo, and said farmers should considers switching beef production for kangaroo farming.

'Australian marsupials emit negligible amounts of methane from enteric fermentation. This could be a source of international comparative advantage for Australia in livestock production,' he said in his final report.

The 600-page report says there will be some resistance to the idea as farmers will have to learn new livestock management and people may be put off by the idea of eating the country's national emblem.

But he remained optimistic that going green by eating kangaroo was a positive way to reduce Australia’s carbon footprint.

‘For most of Australia's human history of around 60,000 years, kangaroo was the main source of meat. It could again become important,’ he said.

Many restaurants in Australia already serve kangaroo meat, along with crocodile and emu.