The biggest dairy companies in the world have the same combined greenhouse gas emissions as the UK, the sixth biggest economy in the world, according to a new report. The analysis shows the impact of the 13 firms on the climate crisis is growing, with an 11% increase in emissions in the two years after the 2015 Paris climate change agreement, largely due to consolidation in the sector. Scientific reports have shown that consumption of dairy, as well as meat, must be reduced significantly in rich nations to tackle the climate emergency.
The report, by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) in the US, also says the growth of giant dairy companies has helped force milk prices below the cost of production for the last decade, causing a crisis in rural livelihoods and requiring taxpayer subsidies to keep farmers afloat. The researchers say caps on production should be reintroduced to protect both the climate and small farmers.
Dairy industry representatives said the report did not reflect the reality of the dairy sector. In a joint statement, Judith Bryans, president of the International Dairy Federation, and Donald Moore, executive director of the Global Dairy Platform, said: “The dairy sector is committed to producing nutritious foods in environmentally sound and responsible ways.” A 2019 joint report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Global Dairy Platform said: “In order to limit temperature rise, the dairy sector must reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and work towards a low-carbon future … There is a clear case for immediate and more ambitious action.”
Source: Guardian
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