AHDB is an evidence-based organisation, funded by farmers, growers and others in the supply chain, helping inspire world-class food and farming in a rapidly changing world.

A group of independent experts providing evidence-based information on a wide variety of foods in the context of a healthy, balanced and sustainable diet.

Photo of Food Advisory Board member Gill Jenkins Gill Jenkins
Photo of Food Advisory Board member Robert Pickard Robert Picard
Photo of Food Advisory Board member Nigel Scollan Nigel Scollan
Mabel Blades Mabel Blades
When it comes to the food we eat, the way it is produced has an impact on the environment.

Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health.

Not all meat and dairy is produced in the same way across the globe, but the food from UK farmers is produced to world-class standards.

Articles

When it comes to the food we eat, the way it is produced has a huge impact on its environmental impact and sustainability.

All articles

Isn’t livestock farming one of the most significant contributors to carbon emissions?

Last updated 16th December 2020

UK livestock emissions are estimated to make up around 6% of UK's total GHG emissions, making it one of the smallest contributors. Transport dominates emissions at 27%, followed by energy supply at 21%, business at 17%, residential sector at 15% and all agriculture at 10%.

Globally, figures largely mirror the UK, with the FAO putting direct livestock emissions at around 6%. It is commonly cited that livestock emit more emissions than transport, but this is untrue. The FAO estimates direct emissions from transport are around 16%.

The vast majority of carbon emissions from livestock is methane (CH4), produced from cattle and sheep. While methane (CH4) is 28 times more warming than carbon dioxide (CO2), it has a much shorter lifespan of around a decade (CO2 is around 1000 years). After 10 years, methane (CH4) is broken down into CO2 and water, with the CO2 returning to the plants or grass the cow ate, through the process of photosynthesis.

Two cows in a field