Carbon footprint on meat and eggs per country analysed

The study analyses data from the FAO to determine the quantity of produce supplied for consumption of 11 food types, including poultry and eggs, for 130 countries around the globe to determine how much carbon dioxide each nation emits, based on their diet.

Carbon footprint per 1kg meat eaten

The carbon footprint per capita is then calculated for each food type, allowing a direct comparison of the CO₂ produced. Finally, and to determine the index’s final ranking, the difference between the average CO₂ produced by eating 1kg of animal product versus 1kg of non-animal product was calculated. This number then reveals how many kgs of CO₂ an individual could reduce their carbon footprint if they switched from an animal to a non-animal diet.

Top 3 countries -carbon footprint per capita:

1. Israel had the largest carbon footprint per capita due to poultry, emitting 67.1kg of carbon dioxide, followed by
2. Trinidad and Tobago (62.6kg)
3. Hong Kong (58.9kg)

Other countries with large poultry carbon footprints include the United States (53.7kg) and Brazil (48.3kg).

Africa countries top low carbon footprint index

At the other end of the scale, a number of African countries recorded very low carbon footprints:

1. Kenya at the bottom of the list (0.5kg),
2. Ethiopia (0.7kg),
3. Niger (1.2kg),
4. Rwanda (1.4kg) and
5. Malawi (1.5kg).

Countries with high carbon footprints for eggs

1. Japan recorded the highest carbon footprint per capita due to eggs, emitting 17.6kg of carbon dioxide,
2. China (17.2kg),
3. Mexico (16.8kg),
4. Ukraine (16.5kg) and
5. Belarus (14.5kg).

Low carbon footprints for eggs

Once again African countries made up the bulk of the lowest emitters with:

1. Niger emitting just 0.28kg
2. Ethiopia (0.3kg),
3. Congo (0.5kg),
4. Madagascar (0.65kg) and
5. Togo (0.8kg).

Argentina: World’s largest carbon footprint

Argentina has the greatest carbon footprint due to animal product consumption in the world, emitting 305.81kg of carbon dioxide annually per person, due to the high level of beef consumption.

The country only emits 7.94kg of carbon dioxide per person for non-animal products. It means that Argentinians can make the greatest impact to the environment by switching to a plant-based diet followed by Australia, Iceland, Albania and New Zealand.

Reducing the carbon footprint through diet

Robert Sunderhauf, nu3 chief executive, said the study showed how switching diets could drastically reduce the globe’s carbon footprint.

“For those who find the idea of completely giving up meat a challenge this index highlights some realistic and achievable alternatives. For instance, healthier fish and poultry have a far lower CO₂ emission rate than fatty red meats such as lamb and beef, while eggs produce significantly lower emissions than milk products and cheese.

“All evidence points towards a mainly plant-based diet, with lean animal-based protein if needed, to help both our bodies and our environment prosper,” he added.