Source record
Global greenhouse gas emissions from animal-based foods are twice those of plant-based foods
Xiaoming Xu, Prateek Sharma, Shijie Shu, et al. (2021). Nature Food. University of Illinois and collaborators.
Key findings
- Food-system emissions were estimated at about 35% of global anthropogenic emissions, with animal-based foods responsible for roughly 57% of food-system emissions and plant-based foods about 29%.
Record
- Source type
- Peer Reviewed Study
- Study type
- Modelling
- Topics
- Climate & emissions
- Geography
- Global, 171 crops and 16 animal products
- Funding & conflicts
- Not recorded.
- Source quality
- Moderate evidenceSingle modelling study, consistent with independent estimates; estimates concern food production including animal feed.
Limitations
- Model-based estimates with uncertainty from land-use-change accounting and emission factors.
Statistics we use from this source
- 57%Share of food-system emissions from animal-based foods
Claims this source supports
EnvironmentStrong evidence
Reducing meat and dairy consumption, especially beef and lamb, is one of the largest ways an individual's diet can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Yes. Animal foods produce most of food's emissions, and beef and lamb produce the most per gram of protein. Eating less of them lowers a diet's footprint substantially.
Cite this record
Global greenhouse gas emissions from animal-based foods are twice those of plant-based foods. The Balance of Health. https://thebalanceofhealth.com/sources/xu-2021-global-ghg-emissions-animal-plant-foods