Your food carbon footprint depends much more on what you eat than on how far it traveled. Our World in Data, using the largest study of global food systems, shows the gap clearly.
Beef vs peas
Producing a kilogram of beef emits about 60 kilograms of greenhouse gases, compared with about 1 kilogram for peas, according to Our World in Data.
The figures come from Poore and Nemecek’s 2018 study in Science, which used data from more than 38,000 farms in 119 countries.
Why local matters less
Transport is a small share of food emissions, under 10 percent for most foods.
Buying beef from a nearby farm instead of one 9,000 kilometers away barely changes its footprint, from about 60 to 59.8 kilograms per kilo.
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Small swaps that count
Our World in Data estimates that swapping red meat and dairy for plant-based foods one day a week saves about 0.46 tonnes of CO2 equivalent a year.
The fine print
These are global averages, and individual farms vary a lot.
Why it matters
You do not have to change everything. Swapping a few meals a week is one of the biggest moves a person can make.
Try it yourself
Can you spot the greener option every time? Play Greener Choice, our free eco quiz game, and see how long your streak lasts.
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Submit your companySources: Our World in Data food choice vs eating local.
Key takeaways on food carbon footprint
Here is the short version on food carbon footprint. Producing a kilogram of beef emits about 60 kilograms of greenhouse gases, compared with about 1 kilogram for peas, according to Our World in Data. The figures come from Poore and Nemecek’s 2018 study in Science, which used data from more than 38,000 farms in 119 countries. Transport is a small share of food emissions, under 10 percent for most foods. Buying beef from a nearby farm instead of one 9,000 kilometers away barely changes its footprint, from about 60 to 59. Our World in Data estimates that swapping red meat and dairy for plant-based foods one day a week saves about 0. These are global averages, and individual farms vary a lot.
Use these points on food carbon footprint as a starting point, check the numbers against your own home or business, and share what you learn with someone who can use it.
