Introduction – Carbon Footprint Of Meat
Carbon footprint of meat – different products are given below but exclude fish, eggs, dairy products. Data was obtained from caloric values per kg of each meat and also a study by researchers Petersson and Castaldi 2021.
We will present the data in both table and chart form. Carbon intensity must be estimated by considering the process of production. There are no technologies that can measure it directly.
Because each study estimates carbon intensity differently, there will be discrepancies between values given here and elsewhere on this site. Consider averaging over multiple sources to get the most accurate estimate.
Meat is one of the most carbon intensive foods. Yet it is also one of the most protein rich foods. Cutting out beef would be the single most effective way to alter your carbon footprint with respect to meat. We discuss the most environmentally friendly meat in more detail in a separate article.
Go here for all other food categories and the carbon footprints.
Carbon Footprint Of Meat – Table
| Food Item | Carbon kg CO2eq/kg |
| beef bone free meat | 25.75 |
| beef meat with bone | 17.96 |
| buffalo bone free meat | 78.80 |
| mealworms | 2.84 |
| kangaroo meat | 4.10 |
| lamb bone free meat | 25.23 |
| lamb meat with bone | 16.70 |
| pork bone free meat | 5.72 |
| bacon | 4.03 |
| pork neck | 4.03 |
| pork ham | 7.95 |
| pork sausages | 17.94 |
| pork meat with bone | 3.44 |
| chicken bone free meat | 3.68 |
| emu bone free meat | 1.50 |
| duck meat bone free | 4.10 |
| turkey meat bone free | 4.08 |
| chicken meat with bone | 2.82 |
| duck meat with bone | 2.07 |
| turkey meat with bone | 2.13 |
| rabbit meat with bone | 4.31 |
| snails (escargot) | 0.73 |
Carbon Footprint Of Meat – Chart
Anne Lauer
Anna Lauer is a writer, gardener, and homesteader living in rural Wisconsin. She has written for Mother Earth News, Grit, and Hobby Farms magazines. Anna is writing a new book about growing your food for free and an ultimate guide to producing food at little to no cost. When she’s not writing or gardening, Anna enjoys spending time with her husband and two young daughters.