Food production in Brazil is 74% of emissions, Climate Observatory study shows

Brazil’s food production made up 74% of the country’s emissions in 2021, according to a new study by Climate Observatory.

Most of these emissions come from deforestation for farms and pastures, the environmental group said. Brazil is the world's largest producer of beef and soybeans.

"This report should be read by agribusiness representatives and the government as a wake-up call," Climate Observatory Executive Secretary Marcio Astrini said. "It demonstrates, beyond any doubt, that agribusiness will determine whether Brazil is a climate hero or villain."

This comes shortly after another study found that human-caused climate change was behind the recent early-spring record heat in South America, including Brazil. The study, by World Weather Attribution (WWA), found that while El Nino may have had “some influence” on the high temperatures, climate change was the “main driver” of the heat, making it much more likely and a startling 1.4ºC-4.3ºC hotter.

Nearly 78% of the 1.8bn tonnes of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted in Brazil because of food production was associated with cattle farming, according to Climate Observatory. This included deforestation, pollution from beef packing plants, and cow burps and flatulence.

Brazil's beef industry would be the world's seventh-largest GHG emitter, ahead of major economies such as Japan, Reuters reported.