Biggest meat and dairy companies emit more methane than Russia, report reveals

Fifteen of the world’s biggest meat and dairy companies emit more methane than countries such as Russia, Canada, Australia, or Germany, new research reveals.

The report, which calls for more ambitious action to cut emissions from the meat and dairy sector, is being launched ahead of the Cop27 Global Methane Pledge Ministerial on November 17, where 40 countries are expected to release national methane plans.

‘Emissions Impossible: Methane Edition’, from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy and the Changing Markets Foundation, calculates the methane emissions of companies such as Nestlé, Danone, and Arla.

The research found the companies’ combined methane emissions rival that of the EU, emitting 15 per cent more methane than Russia, 3.5 times more than Australia, and more than seven times more methane than Germany.

Together they are responsible for 3.4 per cent of global methane emissions from human activity.

The methane emissions of Brazilian meat company - JBS - exceed the combined livestock methane emissions of France, Germany, Canada, and New Zealand. The methane footprint of the US multinational, Tyson Foods, is comparable to Russia’s livestock, and New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra is comparable to Ireland’s livestock.

The companies’ combined greenhouse gas emissions are greater than that of Germany, the world’s fourth biggest economy, and exceed those of oil and gas giants such as ExxonMobil, BP, and Shell.

Shefali Sharma, European director for the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, said: “The methane emissions of the big meat and dairy companies rival those of nation-states, yet they hide their colossal climate footprint behind a veneer of greenwash and net-zero targets.

“These companies won’t do what is needed voluntarily - governments must set rules to regulate their emissions and support farmers to transition away from industrial agriculture.”

Despite their huge climate footprint, only six of the companies fully report their emissions – including from animals in their supply chains which account for 90 per cent of the sector’s climate footprint, and none of the companies publishes information on the methane emissions of their supply chains, the report adds.

The Pledge, launched at the Glasgow Climate Summit last year, commits 130 countries to a 30 per cent cut in global methane emissions by 2030. However, the focus on tech fixes such as animal feed additives over action to cut livestock numbers means even the EU and US are not on track to meet this target, the researchers claim.

None of the signatories – including nine of the 10 countries where the 15 big meat and dairy companies are headquartered – have sufficient plans to deal with livestock methane. Livestock farming is responsible for 32 per cent of global emissions and continues to rise.

Nusa Urbanic, campaigns director at the Changing Markets Foundation said: “A handful of meat and dairy corporations are responsible for 1 in every 10 tonnes of methane produced by livestock, yet they have been given a free pass to pollute under the Global Methane Pledge.

“Governments should require them to report and reduce their emissions and oblige these hugely wealthy companies to put their money where their mouth is and invest in real climate solutions.”