Fact check: How much CO2 emissions does producing meat products make

1. Summary of the results

The meat industry, particularly livestock farming, is a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. According to the FAO, livestock accounts for 14.5% of all anthropogenic emissions, equivalent to 7.1 gigatonnes of CO2 per year, with some recent research suggesting this could be as high as 16.5% ^[1].

Specific emissions by meat type:

• Beef is the highest emitter at 99.48 kg of CO2 equivalents per kilogram of meat
• Pork produces 12.31 kg CO2 equivalents per kilogram
• Poultry generates 9.87 kg CO2 equivalents per kilogram ^[2]

Beef production alone accounts for approximately 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent (as of 2010), representing roughly 7% of total global greenhouse gas emissions ^[3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual factors should be considered:

• Dairy sector impact: The dairy industry alone accounts for 4% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, with cows (both meat and dairy) responsible for 65% of all livestock emissions ^[1]
• Land use efficiency: Beef production requires 20 times more land compared to plant-based protein alternatives like beans ^[3]
• Food industry perspective: 57% of greenhouse gas emissions in the entire food industry are linked to livestock breeding and rearing, with beef production responsible for a quarter of all food industry emissions ^[2]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question is overly simplistic and could lead to misunderstandings:

• It doesn't differentiate between different types of meat, which have vastly different emission profiles ^[2]
• It doesn't account for the complete lifecycle of meat production, including land-use changes and agricultural production ^[3]

Stakeholder interests:

• Plant-based protein companies benefit from emphasizing meat's environmental impact
• The beef industry might benefit from focusing on metrics other than emissions
• Environmental organizations and the UN (through FAO) have an interest in accurate emissions reporting to address climate change goals