The world's biggest meat and dairy companies could surpass energy companies such as Exxon, Shell and BP as the world's biggest climate polluters within the next few decades, according to a report on Wednesday.
According to the report conducted by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP), and GRAIN, an international non-profit organization supporting small farmers, these global animal protein giants are driving consumption by ramping up production and exports at a time when the planet needs to dramatically reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
The report examined the world’s largest 35 companies and found that most are not reporting their Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions data and few have set targets that could reduce their overall emissions.
'We need to urgently build food systems that meet the needs of farmers, consumers and the planet. But to do so, we must break the power of the big meat and dairy conglomerates and hold them to account for their supersized climate footprint,' the report said.
New research from GRAIN and IATP shows that the world’s top five meat and dairy corporations combined are now responsible for more annual greenhouse gas emissions than Exxon, Shell or BP.
'By 2050, we must reduce global emissions by 38 billion tons to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. If all other sectors follow that path while the meat and dairy industry’s growth continues as projected, the livestock sector could eat up 80 percent of the allowable GHG budget in just 32 years,' the report explained.
In addition, the report affirmed that most of the top 35 global meat and dairy giants either do not report or underreport their emissions, and only four provide complete, credible emissions estimates.
The report also suggested that to avert climate catastrophe, a reduction in the production and consumption of meat and dairy in overproducing and over consuming countries is needed and in affluent populations globally, while supporting the transition to agroecology.
By Gulsen Cagatay
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr