Greenhouse gas emissions from food production
Significant quantities of greenhouse gases are released at various stages of food production from farm to fork and are linked to several aspects of our modern, industrial food system including:
Most forms of agriculture release emissions to some extent, however livestock farming and rice production are both significant emitters of methane. This is due to ruminants’ digestion - especially cows and sheep – and manure decomposition and the anaerobic growing conditions required in flooded fields, known as rice paddies.
Crop cultivation similarly emits gases from the production and application of synthetic fertilisers and chemicals, soil cultivation, fossil fuel use in machinery and energy for irrigation. Land use change, deforestation and soil disturbance, including peatlands, where carbon is absorbed and stored to create new farmland also contributes to agricultural productions’ high emissions.
Once livestock and crops have been reared or harvested, they require processing into many of the products we see on shop shelves. Energy is required in food processing plants, creating high levels of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels to generate electricity. Manufacturing of packaging materials, especially plastics, and waste products generated during processing going to landfill or incinerators also produce greenhouse gases.
Significant emissions are generated from the transportation of raw materials to processing plants, and onwards from these factories to retailers and consumers. This includes transporting refrigerated products internationally by road, rail, air, and sea to retain freshness, prolong shelf life and ensure products remain in a condition fit for sale and consumption.
Emissions are associated with various aspects of the food retail sectors operational activities. Once products arrive in supermarkets and other food retail outlets, electricity is required for refrigeration, lighting, heating, cooling and other aspects of effective storage of what can be highly perishable food items. Retailers also generate significant amounts of food waste, generating methane if it ends up in landfill.
Cooking food also produces carbon dioxide emissions depending on the energy source used and food waste from the hospitality sector and households generates methane emissions if sent to landfill.
Food waste is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions as, unless composted or sent to an anaerobic digestor, it ends up in landfill producing methane or an incinerator producing carbon dioxide. This is why reducing our food waste is key to taking practical action against climate change.
Each stage of food production has its own impact, but overall, livestock farming and food waste are the most significant contributors to global food-related greenhouse gas emissions so reducing the amount of meat we eat and food we waste are both key to lowering emissions and addressing climate change.
For a more detailed analysis of how the global food system contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, visit the European Commission’s EDGAR-FOOD website.
Reducing meat comsumption
"The Climate Change Committee (CCC) recommends a 20% reduction in meat and dairy by 2030 and 35% reduction for meat by 2050”
Livestock farming is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, with agricultural practices linked to their supply chains being estimated to account for about 11 - 20% of global emissions.
Eating less meat as part of our diets is another way to reduce the impact our food has on the climate and wider environment. This is partly because livestock animals, particularly cows and sheep, produce large amounts of the potent greenhouse gas methane as part of their digestive process, released predominantly when they burp.
Beef and lamb have disproportionately large carbon footprints compared with other types of food, therefore reducing the demand for them also reduces the amount of greenhouse gases being released to produce them. Goats and pigs also contribute, though on a much smaller scale.
Livestock farming on an industrial scale to satisfy increasing global demand for meat is having a hugely damaging effect on the environment, as land required for rearing more animals is frequently established at the expense of forests, including areas like the Amazon rainforest. Deforestation of these areas removes vast numbers of trees that would otherwise absorb carbon dioxide, so converting them to pastureland further exacerbates climate change. Methane and nitrous oxide are both also released by the decomposing animal waste generated in particularly large quantities by industrial livestock production systems.
Reducing meat consumption and implementing more sustainable farming practices in global livestock production systems are both important steps to addressing climate change and reducing biodiversity loss through land use changes and environmental degradation.
To find out more about how to go about it, visit: Nourish ‘What kind of meat-eater are you?’ and Meat Free Mondays
