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The 13 largest dairy companies worldwide emit as many greenhouse gases as the entire United Kingdom. The UK's annual emissions are 350m tonnes, whereas the dairy industry emitted 338m tonnes in 2017, and most likely considerably more in 2019. 90% of the dairy industry's emissions come from the cows themselves, as they produce methane. It is therefore not surprising that research proves all plant-based alternatives produce far fewer emissions than dairy milk.
Research suggests that the impact of the 13 corporations on climate change is increasing, as their emissions grew by 11% between 2015, when the Paris Accord was developed, and 2017. Scientific studies have also shown that rich countries, who purchase many more animal products than developing and underdeveloped nations, need to significantly reduce their meat and dairy consumption to avoid a climate catastrophe.
The Dairy Industry and Family Farms
Reports prove that the growth of large dairy corporations has pushed milk prices below the cost of production for the last 10 years. This is disastrous for rural livelihoods, causing a need for taxpayer subsidies (that could be better spent on climate action) to ensure farmers remain in business. Consequently, 4 out of 5 dairy farms closed in the EU between 1981 and 2013 and 93% of US family farms have been shut down since the 1970s. These consequences of dairy production make caps on production a necessity. By introducing caps governments can simultaneously protect small farmers and the climate.
Between 2005 and 2015, the emissions of the dairy industry increased by 18% and the sector itself grew by 30%. Two major spokespersons for the dairy industry defended its practices by emphasising the sector's contribution to the food industry. They also spoke of how the dairy industry provides highly nutritious products to developing countries with high malnutrition rates and food shortages. What these spokespeople conveniently forgot to acknowledge, however, was that all malnutrition could be wiped out if the food that is used to feed or fatten cattle was redistributed to developing countries. This makes the dairy industry a burden on malnourished nations, as it takes much-needed food away from starving humans to feed dairy cows.
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