Climate protection through milk: Arla farmers reduce CO2 emissions by 8%!

Climate protection through milk: Arla farmers reduce CO2 emissions by 8%!

Agriculture is in a difficult situation when it comes to climate protection. In particular, animal husbandry, fertilization and the draining of moors contribute significantly to the release of climate-damaging gases. This not only has an impact on our environment, but is also accompanied by economic challenges. But there are bright spots: the Arla dairy cooperative has made impressive progress. Since the introduction of climate checks in 2020, the cooperative has been able to reduce emissions of climate-damaging gases by around 8%. This is reported by Stern, which summarizes the positive developments in a current report.

A concrete success is taking shape: the average CO2 footprint on Arla farms has fallen from 1.15 CO2 equivalents per kilogram of milk to 1.06. This is remarkable progress, especially considering that the average value in Western Europe is 1.37 and globally it is 2.5 CO2 equivalents.

The role of agriculture

Agriculture will account for an estimated 53.7 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents in 2024, which corresponds to around 8% of total greenhouse gas emissions in Germany. The Federal Environment Agency also points out that methane and nitrous oxide are relevant sources of emissions, which are mainly caused by animal production, fertilization and the management of manure.

An interesting aspect is that emissions from agriculture are measured both directly and indirectly. Around 34.9 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents come directly from animal husbandry. A significant portion of methane emissions can be attributed to animals' digestive processes. However, a positive trend can be seen here: between 1990 and 2024, methane emissions from animal husbandry fell by around 27.5%.

Sustainable approaches and organic farming

However, agriculture could become even more sustainable. Recent studies show that organic farming offers significant advantages when compared to emissions. Organic food, for example, causes significantly fewer greenhouse gases. They promote species-appropriate animal husbandry and avoid chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The CO2 binding in the soil is also not underestimated by increasing humus.

Organic cattle receive more green fodder, which has a positive effect on metabolism and methane production. The advantages are clear: organic farms emit on average 1,082 kg less CO2 per hectare than conventional farms. It is therefore advisable to use regionally grown, sustainable products and consume less but higher quality meat in order to reduce your own ecological footprint.

Overall, it is clear that agriculture needs fundamental change. Solutions can already be found in practice, as the example of the Arla dairy cooperative shows. Farmers who take part in climate checks also receive incentives in the form of surcharges, which not only benefits the climate but also their businesses.

The development of emissions will continue to represent exciting Herculean work for the entire industry, and every individual consumer can make a contribution through conscious purchasing decisions. The road to more sustainable agriculture is a long one, but the initial successes show that a good hand can definitely pay off.

star reports that agriculture can do its part while Nature connection highlights the role of nutrition and Federal Environment Agency provides further details on emissions.