Meat Industry Fights To Use ‘Alternative Metric’ To Measure Methane Emissions

The meat and dairy industries are pushing for the use of an alternative metric, GWP*, to measure methane emissions in order to downplay their impact on the climate crisis. This metric allows companies to continue emitting large amounts of methane without being held accountable for their contributions to global warming. Lobbying efforts by industry groups and government agencies to adopt GWP* could hinder efforts to shift towards plant-based diets, which are essential for reducing emissions and mitigating climate change.

Using GWP* to measure emissions from animal farming would greatly undercount the industry's climate impact, allowing companies to claim they are climate-friendly while continuing to grow. Misleading terms like "carbon neutral" and "climate positive" are already being used by meat producers to sway consumers who are increasingly concerned about the climate crisis. A shift towards plant-based diets could significantly reduce emissions from food production, benefit other species, and help draw down carbon from the atmosphere.