Factory farming: an overlooked cause of climate change

The report “Climate change and cruelty” analyses the environmental impact of factory farmed chicken and pork in four of the world's biggest factory farming hot spots - Brazil, China, Europe (using data from the Netherlands) and the US.   

The analysis finds that emissions from chicken meat in these factory farming hot spots alone are equivalent to keeping 29 million cars on the road for a year. 

Factory farming environmental impacts 

Climate impact of factory farming

The report exposes the hidden climate impact of factory farming including emissions from deforestation when land is cleared to grow crops to feed factory farmed animals around the world. 

Read the full report

The main cause of greenhouse gas emissions in the factory farming system 

When deforestation to grow feed crops - especially soya - for global trade is considered, this doubles the overall climate change impact of factory farmed meat in the Netherlands and increases the impact by more than one and a half times in China. 

Climate impact of animal feed production and factory farming

Animal welfare and meat reduction as climate change solutions

Chickens in a factory farming