Preparing for net zero greenhouse gas emissions in 2050: lifecycle emissions of dairy products in Brazil

Abstract

Dairy products play an important role in human nutrition and the world economy. Livestock farming, including cows rearing to produce milk and dairy products, is one of the world's major sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Progress towards net zero goals requires monitoring emissions from companies and products, and greenhouse gas inventories are essential. This work quantifies greenhouse gas emissions from milk production, considering the milk delivered at the farm gate and the milk delivered at the cooperative gate. Emissions accounting was based on greenhouse gas inventories for two units and lifecycle emissions for major farm inputs. Results have shown that milk production on the farm emits 0.57 kg CO_2e / liter, with enteric fermentation accounting for more than 90% of emissions at the farm gate, and more than 50% at the milk processing unit gate. Dairy production adds 0.533 kg CO_2e / liter to the emissions coming from raw milk, most of which comes from wastewater treatment. Thus, the footprint of dairy products is 1.103 kg CO_2e / liter of processed milk. The producers' cooperative's greenhouse gas emissions are essentially indirect and amount to 0.626 kg CO2e/liter of milk delivered to customers, in which emissions from purchased milk account for more than 85% and emissions from transportation account for around 15%.