JAKARTA – The planet’s largest meat and dairy corporations are producing greenhouse gas emissions comparable to major oil companies, with their combined output exceeding that of Saudi Arabia, according to recent research.

As scientists warn that global temperature increases may surpass the critical 1.5°C threshold sooner than anticipated, attention to the food industry’s environmental impact remains insufficient. The agricultural sector ranks as the second-largest contributor to climate pollution, generating approximately one-third of total emissions globally.

Livestock Industry’s Outsized Carbon Footprint

Animal agriculture represents a particularly significant concern, with meat and dairy products alone responsible for roughly 20% of worldwide emissions. The sector also leads in methane production—a greenhouse gas with 28 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide over a century.

International climate experts emphasize that methane reductions of 40-45% are necessary by 2030 to maintain temperature goals, yet global meat consumption continues climbing and is projected to increase 6% within the coming decade.

Corporate Giants Dominate Emissions Landscape

New findings from research organizations including the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy reveal that 45 major meat and dairy corporations collectively released 1.02 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually in 2022 and 2023. The top 15 producers surpassed Germany’s total emissions, while the five largest—JBS, Marfrig, Tyson, Minerva, and Cargill—accounted for 480 million tonnes, outpacing individual fossil fuel companies like Chevron and Shell.

Brazilian company JBS stands out as the most significant emitter, responsible for nearly a quarter of the analyzed companies’ pollution and exceeding the combined output of Shell and ExxonMobil.

Cattle and Methane Drive Climate Impact

Methane comprised 51% of these companies’ emissions, with cattle operations generating 80% of the total. The corporations processed 17 billion chickens, 242 million pigs, and 53 million cattle in 2023 alone.

Policy Reforms Needed

Environmental advocates are calling on governments to implement mandatory emissions reporting, establish binding reduction targets, redirect agricultural subsidies toward plant-based food systems, and apply taxation principles that make polluting companies bear environmental costs.

Experts stress that achieving climate objectives requires governments to support transitions away from industrial animal agriculture toward sustainable farming practices and plant-forward food systems.

Original Article:

Green Queen. (2025, December 2). Top Meat & Dairy Companies Emit More Greenhouse Gases Than Saudi Arabia: Study. Retrieved from https://www.greenqueen.com.hk/meat-and-dairy-greenhouse-gas-emissions-fossil-fuel-study/