At COP30, FGV and Abiec highlight the sustainable potential of cattle farming

Brazilian beef production can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 92.6% per kilogram of beef produced by 2050. This estimate is from a study by the Getúlio Vargas Foundation (FGV), in partnership with the Brazilian Association of Meat Exporting Industries (Abiec), which analyzed different scenarios of mitigation and productive efficiency in the sector. If the current pace of adoption of sustainable technologies and practices is maintained, the projected drop is 79.9%. The number could be even higher if actions such as the recovery of degraded pastures, early slaughter, and the use of feed additives that reduce enteric fermentation—the main source of methane in herds—are accelerated. The FGV Agro survey considered four possible trajectories for cattle ranching until 2050. In the first scenario, with the continuation of current trends, the emission per kilogram of beef would drop from 80 kg of CO₂ to 16.1 kg, a reduction of almost 80%. The second scenario takes into account the ...