Drivers of Global Methane Emissions Embodied in International Beef Trade

Abstract

Increasing worldwide demand for beef products promotes international beef trade. Cattle raising and beef products as significant sources of methane (CH₄) emissions have received widespread concerns. However, the factors driving CH₄ emissions embodied in the global beef trade have not been quantified. Here, we evaluate international beef trade-induced CH₄ emissions and assess the contribution of the five driving factors to changes in CH₄ emissions embodied in the beef trade from 2000 to 2018. We show that driven by increasing population and meat demands, the global beef trade-induced CH₄ emissions increased continuously in the past two decades, with total emissions of 9337.3 Gg in 2018. The drivers that could potentially reduce trade-related emissions are emission intensities in beef exporting countries and beef importing countries' selections of their beef suppliers. Together, these two driving factors reduced CH₄ emissions by 923.5 Gg from 2012 to 2018. Results suggest that efforts should be made to reduce the emission intensity via improving cattle feed and feeding practices in beef exporting countries. Beef importing countries could also contribute to CH₄ emission reduction by selecting those beef exporting countries with low emission intensities.

Keywords: driving factors; emission intensity; global beef trade; virtual CH4 emissions.