Global dairy companies announce alliance to cut methane at COP28
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Livestock is responsible for about 30 per cent of global anthropogenic methane emissions, which come from sources like manure and cow burps.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
DUBAI – Six of the world’s largest dairy companies will soon begin disclosing their methane emissions as part of a new global alliance launched at the COP28 United Nations climate summit in Dubai on Dec 5.
Livestock is responsible for about 30 per cent of global anthropogenic methane emissions, which come from sources like manure and cow burps, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation.
Methane is nearly 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide,
Advocacy groups have said that tackling livestock methane should be a major priority at the COP28 summit.
The six members of the Dairy Methane Action Alliance – Danone, Bel Group, General Mills, Lactalis USA, Kraft Heinz and Nestle – will begin reporting their methane emissions by mid-2024 and will write methane action plans by the end of that year.
Reducing dairy methane emissions means providing both technical and financial support to farmers around the world to experiment with possible solutions, like feed additives, said Mr Chris Adamo, vice-president of government and public affairs at Danone.
“There’s not one silver bullet. We have to look at this full spectrum of different options for farms across different geographies,” he said.
Danone this year pledged to cut methane emissions from its fresh milk supply chain by 30 per cent by 2030.
Cutting human-caused methane by 45 per cent this decade would keep global warming under 2 deg C, according to a 2021 assessment by the Climate & Clean Air Coalition and the UN Environment Programme.
Companies involved in the new alliance do not need to pledge to reduce their methane emissions by a specific amount, but stronger measurement and reporting are key tools for the companies to eventually reduce their emissions, said Ms Katie Anderson, senior director of the business-sector food and forest programme at US-based advocacy group Environmental Defence Fund.
“This is driving more accountability,” Ms Anderson said. EDF is convening the alliance.
Globally, food production accounts for about a third of global greenhouse gas emissions. Leaders of this year’s COP have pledged the summit will include action on food sector emissions. REUTERS
