Climate group: Methane emissions in Brazil's beef-rich country are increasing

Brazil's methane emission increased by 6% between the years 2020 and 2023. The world's biggest beef exporter released 21,1 million tons of this potent greenhouse gas. This was the second highest level in history.

According to a report released on Wednesday by the Climate Observatory, 34 of Brazil's total methane emissions are attributed to the beef and dairy cattle industry. This accounted for approximately 14,5 million tons in 2023. That is the equivalent of 406 millions tons of CO2 equivalent. The Climate Observatory reported that this figure was higher than all greenhouse gases produced by Italy during the same period.

Climate Observatory, an environmental network from Brazilian civil society said that methane was a greenhouse gas. David Tsai is the coordinator of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Removals estimates System, which was developed by the group. Brazil has the second largest cattle herd in the world. In other countries, fossil fuels are the main cause of methane emission. However, in Brazil it is food production. Gabriel Quintana is a Brazilian expert in greenhouse gas emission at Imaflora. He cited New Zealand as a country which has reduced its emissions.

Brazil exports beef, beef by-products and other beef products to a number of countries. The nation will host the COP 30 Climate Conference in Belem on November 15th. Belem is a port town that's at the gateway of the lower Amazon region.

Climate Observatory said that the country was the fifth largest emitter of methane in the world, behind China, India, and the U.S.

Methane is produced by the digestive process of animals, primarily through their belching. Methane can also be produced by animal waste or irrigated rice. (Reporting Ana Mano and Paul Simao).

(source: Reuters)