Meat production and consumption in Belgium

A Belgian study, Greenhouse gas emissions reduction and material flows, looks at emissions arising from meat production and consumption in Belgium, final report, IDD - Institut Wallon - VITO, Federal Office for Scientific, Technical and Cultural Affairs, Belgium, 2001.

The study starts by examining trends in consumption of pork, beef and poultry. It then quantifies emissions from these foods, including in its calculations the emissions (CO₂ , CH₄ and N₂O) generated during the production of fertilisers, feed, animal production, slaughtering, processing, packaging, distribution, use and waste treatment.

The study concludes that meat consumption accounts for around 4% of Belgium's total GHG emissions. Beef accounts for more than half of these and poultry only 8%.