Report: Major meat and dairy companies emit more GHG than fossil fuel producers

The 45 largest meat and dairy corporations collectively emitted more than one billion tonnes of greenhouse gases in 2023 – more than the footprint reported by oil state Saudi Arabia, according to a new study.

The report, published today by Foodrise, Friends of the Earth U.S., Greenpeace Nordic, and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, adds that the largest five emitters within this group — JBS, Marfrig, Tyson, Minerva, and Cargill — produced an estimated 480 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in the same period, surpassing emissions reported by fossil fuel producers like Chevron, Shell, or BP.

“Despite years of pledges to reduce emissions, major meat and dairy companies continue to recklessly drive climate-polluting production systems. It’s time for governments to step up and lead, with aligned regulations and public spending designed to cut emissions and support farmers in a transition toward more sustainable, lower-emitting farming systems,” said Ben Lilliston, Director of Climate Strategies at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.

The analysis, Roasting the Planet: Big Meat and Dairy’s Big Emissions, suggests that more than half of the sector’s emissions stem from methane: the estimated methane emissions of the 45 meat and dairy firms exceeded the reported methane of all EU countries and the UK combined.

Top meat producer JBS makes up a quarter of the sector’s emissions

The analysis shows that Brazil’s JBS – the world’s largest meat producer, which has gained a reputation as a ‘bad actor’ in the climate space – alone accounts for nearly a quarter (24%) of the 45 firms’ total emissions, with more than 240 million tonnes CO2e.

In April this year, JBS received the SEC’s approval for its New York Stock Exchange listing, despite investors and activists jointly denouncing its negative human rights and environmental track record. The world’s largest meat producer, which earned US$77 billion of revenue in 2024, has been linked by several reports to large-scale deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, and recently backtracked on a 2021 pledge to achieve net zero emissions by 2040, with Chief Sustainability Officer Jason Weller saying this ambition was “never a promise”. 

Overall, meat and dairy emissions are highly concentrated: three-quarters of the estimated emissions in the report stem from just 15 out of the 45 companies. This, for the authors, underscores the importance of regulating these ‘Big Meat and Dairy’ giants – taking advantage of the COP30 conference held in JBS’ home country.

“We cannot be fooled by shameless greenwashing by Big Meat and Dairy companies. The numbers are stark. Meat and dairy giants are responsible for a huge amount of greenhouse gas emissions, especially methane. If governments are serious about meeting climate goals, they can no longer ignore the climate impact of industrial meat and dairy. Binding agricultural emissions targets, full supply-chain reporting, and support for a just transition toward agroecology and more plant-based food systems are essential,” commented Kari Hamerschlag, Deputy Director of Food and Agriculture at Friends of the Earth.

Shefali Sharma, Global Agriculture Policy Expert for Greenpeace Germany, added: “Farms that restore nature and communities, not corporate-controlled factories, should be at the centre of our food system. It’s not too late for governments to commit to such a transition in their climate plans coming out of this COP.”