Meet the methane giants: Big Meat and Dairy

The global livestock sector is estimated to be responsible for between 12% and 19% of total greenhouse gas emissions, according to a recent study from Foodrise, Friends of the Earth, IATP and Greenpeace. The European Union houses more than a third of these industry’s top polluters. When talking about the drivers of the climate crisis, most eyes are focused on fossil fuels, transport, and individual lifestyle choices. And all the while, big corporations like Lactalis (France), Arla (Denmark), Nestlé (Switzerland), and FrieslandCampina (the Netherlands) continue business as usual, without facing any real accountability for their damaging practices.

To have any real chance of limiting global warming to the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target, the livestock sector needs to be taken just as seriously as the biggest oil firms. The top five meat and dairy emitters alone produce more greenhouse gas emissions than major oil companies such as Shell. There is no time left for techno-fixes that won’t hold up in court. Livestock reduction is the only credible path forward.

In 2023, the climate emissions of the 45 biggest producers were estimated to exceed the reported emissions of all EU27 countries and the UK combined. This strongly accelerates global warming, fuels extreme weather and environmental destruction, and contributes to air pollution that harms human health.

Read our latest findings here: