Aus red meat shares 78% reduction in emissions since 2005

A research report released by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) has shown that the Australian red meat and livestock industry has reduced its net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 78% since 2005.

The report by CSIRO provides an updated estimate of emissions attributable to the production and processing of beef, sheep and goats based on the 2021 Australian National Greenhouse Gas Inventory. 

In 2021, net greenhouse gas emissions from the red meat industry were 31 t carbon dioxide-equivalent, representing a 78% decrease compared to the reference year of 2005.

According to MLA’s Carbon Neutral 2030 (CN30) Project Manager, Julia Waite, this reduction in the net emissions position was primarily due to impacts in the land use sector.

“Low rates of clearing and greater volumes of regrowth have contributed to a larger pool of carbon on land associated with livestock management, bringing down the collective position of the sector,” Waite said.

“The contribution from land use change was particularly significant between 2020 and 2021 due to high rainfall, which was 9% above the historical average, and conditions favourable for vegetation growth during La Niña.

“The contrast is especially stark given the previous two reporting years were marred by drought and bushfires.

“Given the variability of the Australian climate, we anticipate sequestration volumes will retract when conditions trend back towards drier El Niño,” Waite said.

Emissions are attributed to the red meat industry based on animal numbers, feed intake, livestock processed and resource use. It is part of the industry’s work in annually benchmarking its GHG footprint, which has been occurring since 2015.

The largest proportion of direct emissions from red meat is enteric methane produced by grazing beef cattle. These emissions have remained stable in recent years.

While the trajectory was positive since 2005, MLA recognised the broader expectation for direct emissions reduction while maintaining production of high-quality protein. This is supported by investment in research and development, and initiatives to support Australian red meat producers to adopt practices that provide a win-win for business and the environment.

“In the short to medium term, sequestration helps to balance the ledger while the private and public sector continues to invest in options for direct emissions reduction,” Waite said.

“Increasing production and resource efficiency, use of renewable energy and manure management are the primary tools at our disposal today to lower emissions of livestock production.

“Novel interventions like low methane pastures, supplements and genetic indexes are likely to play a bigger role in the later part of the decade, provided they are commercially viable with co-benefits for the whole farm business.”

In 2017 the Australian red meat industry committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 (CN30). The CN30 target definition is net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

The full report can be found here.

Image credit: iStock.com/Lisovskaya