Climate

The climate crisis and the food crisis are intimately linked, with the industrial food system - from farm to supermarket - largely responsible for both. Under this programme area, GRAIN draws attention to the responsibility of industrial agriculture and centralised supply chains in causing the climate crisis, and how food sovereignty and peasant-led agroecology offer a tremendous potential to solve a good part of it. 

We do so through sustained information and outreach activities, and through active strategy development and coalition building with the social movements involved.

New research shows 50 year binge on chemical fertilisers must end to address the climate crisis

New research shows nitrogen fertilisers made from fossil fuels are an ecological disaster, responsible for around a quarter of all GHGs from agriculture. The research provides the first estimate of the global climate impacts of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers to cover the entire production chain, from manufacturing to soil application. A global phase-out is urgently required!

New research shows nitrogen fertilisers made from fossil fuels are an ecological disaster, responsible for around a quarter of all GHGs from agriculture. The research provides the first estimate of the global climate impacts of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers to cover the entire production chain, from manufacturing to soil application. A global phase-out is urgently required!

Agribusiness and big finance's dirty alliance is anything but "green"

Across the world, the most notorious players in the expansion of industrial agriculture are turning to “green finance” to raise money for themselves. The growing support for regulations on their investments and public control over the financial market has made them look for a solution that keeps the cash and agribusiness commodities flowing but hides the destruction they provoke.

Across the world, the most notorious players in the expansion of industrial agriculture are turning to “green finance” to raise money for themselves. The growing support for regulations on their investments and public control over the financial market has made them look for a solution that keeps the cash and agribusiness commodities flowing but hides the destruction they provoke.

Corporate greenwashing: "net zero" and "nature-based solutions" are a deadly fraud

Corporations are ramping up their greenwashing to head-off any efforts to reign in their GHG emissions. After five years of having done nothing to move towards the already compromised targets established by the 2015 Paris Agreement, dozens of big polluters like Nestlé and Shell are now making "net zero" pledges, mainly to satisfy the public relations needs of the financial players that fund them.

Corporations are ramping up their greenwashing to head-off any efforts to reign in their GHG emissions. After five years of having done nothing to move towards the already compromised targets established by the 2015 Paris Agreement, dozens of big polluters like Nestlé and Shell are now making "net zero" pledges, mainly to satisfy the public relations needs of the financial players that fund them.

Agroecology vs. climate chaos: Farmers leading the battle in Asia

As urgent as the climate crisis is, some of the solutions being promoted from above are misleading. Not only are they not putting us in the right track, they are also exacerbating an array of other problems ranging from poverty to loss of biodiversity. Fortunately, a number of farmers across Asia on the front lines of climate disaster are putting forth a solution that is working and that is also adapted to their socioeconomic circumstances and farming traditions: Agroecology.

As urgent as the climate crisis is, some of the solutions being promoted from above are misleading. Not only are they not putting us in the right track, they are also exacerbating an array of other problems ranging from poverty to loss of biodiversity. Fortunately, a number of farmers across Asia on the front lines of climate disaster are putting forth a solution that is working and that is also adapted to their socioeconomic circumstances and farming traditions: Agroecology.

2020 Report on Climate Change in Argentina. Who dares to call out agribusiness?

Analysis of Argentina's official report on climate change, regarding both its assessments and its proposals, convinced that real solutions will come hand in hand with a profound change in the agro-food system.

Analysis of Argentina's official report on climate change, regarding both its assessments and its proposals, convinced that real solutions will come hand in hand with a profound change in the agro-food system.

"What does factory farming have to do with the climate crisis?" Comic strip edition

The pandemic has turned life on its head and has made us question a whole host of matters, including industrial livestock and the issue of factory farming. This is why we are sharing this comic strip. It offers a simple and clear explanation of why producing livestock in factory farms can be devastating for our planet’s climate.

The pandemic has turned life on its head and has made us question a whole host of matters, including industrial livestock and the issue of factory farming. This is why we are sharing this comic strip. It offers a simple and clear explanation of why producing livestock in factory farms can be devastating for our planet’s climate.

What does factory farming have to do with the climate crisis?

In recent years, GRAIN’s research on the climate impacts of industrial food production has focused more particularly on the contribution of factory farming and its byproducts to global warming. The data come as a shock: taken together, the world’s five largest meat and dairy corporations are responsible for a greater volume of greenhouse gas emissions than oil companies like Exxon, Shell, or BP.

In recent years, GRAIN’s research on the climate impacts of industrial food production has focused more particularly on the contribution of factory farming and its byproducts to global warming. The data come as a shock: taken together, the world’s five largest meat and dairy corporations are responsible for a greater volume of greenhouse gas emissions than oil companies like Exxon, Shell, or BP.

EU-Mercosur trade deal will intensify the climate crisis from agriculture

The EU-Mercosur free trade agreement has been presented as a climate friendly post-Paris agreement trade deal. Yet its central premise is to increase trade in a host of climate-disrupting products like automobiles, industrial beef, ethanol and soybeans. This report calculates the increase in ag commodities production and trade as a result of this deal, and their impact on the climate.

The EU-Mercosur free trade agreement has been presented as a climate friendly post-Paris agreement trade deal. Yet its central premise is to increase trade in a host of climate-disrupting products like automobiles, industrial beef, ethanol and soybeans. This report calculates the increase in ag commodities production and trade as a result of this deal, and their impact on the climate.

Step aside agribusiness, it's time for real solutions to the climate crisis

Big food and agribusiness companies are desperate to portray themselves as part of the solution to the climate crisis. But there is no way to reconcile what's needed to heal our planet with their unflinching commitment to growth.

Big food and agribusiness companies are desperate to portray themselves as part of the solution to the climate crisis. But there is no way to reconcile what's needed to heal our planet with their unflinching commitment to growth.

Food sovereignty is Africa's only solution to climate chaos

The convergence of the climate crisis and rising food imports in Africa is a recipe for catastrophe. Unless actions are taken to build up local food systems and reverse the growing reliance on imports of cereals and other staple foods, there will be multiple and more severe repeats of the 2007-8 food crisis that caused food riots across the continent. African governments and donors have wasted the past decade on failed programmes and policies to support corporate agribusiness while doing little to effectively challenge the corporations that are dumping surplus food commodities, driving up global greenhouse gas emissions and destroying biodiversity. Now, movements for climate justice and African food producers must urgently join forces to eliminate the dependence on food imports and realise food sovereignty across the continent to respond to the climate crisis.

The convergence of the climate crisis and rising food imports in Africa is a recipe for catastrophe. Unless actions are taken to build up local food systems and reverse the growing reliance on imports of cereals and other staple foods, there will be multiple and more severe repeats of the 2007-8 food crisis that caused food riots across the continent. African governments and donors have wasted the past decade on failed programmes and policies to support corporate agribusiness while doing little to effectively challenge the corporations that are dumping surplus food commodities, driving up global greenhouse gas emissions and destroying biodiversity. Now, movements for climate justice and African food producers must urgently join forces to eliminate the dependence on food imports and realise food sovereignty across the continent to respond to the climate crisis.

Emissions impossible: How big meat and dairy are heating up the planet

The world's biggest meat and dairy companies could surpass Exxon, Shell and BP as the world's biggest climate polluters within the next few decades. At a time when the planet must dramatically reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, these global animal protein giants are driving consumption by ramping up production and exports. GRAIN and IATP examined the world’s largest 35 companies and found that most are not reporting their GHG emissions data and few have set targets that could reduce their overall emissions. We need to urgently build food systems that meet the needs of farmers, consumers and the planet. But to do so, we must break the power of the big meat and dairy conglomerates and hold them to account for their supersized climate footprint.

The world's biggest meat and dairy companies could surpass Exxon, Shell and BP as the world's biggest climate polluters within the next few decades. At a time when the planet must dramatically reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, these global animal protein giants are driving consumption by ramping up production and exports. GRAIN and IATP examined the world’s largest 35 companies and found that most are not reporting their GHG emissions data and few have set targets that could reduce their overall emissions. We need to urgently build food systems that meet the needs of farmers, consumers and the planet. But to do so, we must break the power of the big meat and dairy conglomerates and hold them to account for their supersized climate footprint.

Big meat and dairy companies are heating up the planet

A new report shows how the world’s 35 largest meat and dairy companies are pursuing growth strategies that will increase their emissions and derail global efforts to prevent dangerous climate change. 

A new report shows how the world’s 35 largest meat and dairy companies are pursuing growth strategies that will increase their emissions and derail global efforts to prevent dangerous climate change. 

Big meat and dairy’s supersized climate footprint

Three meat companies - JBS, Cargill and Tyson - emitted more greenhouse gases last year than all of France and nearly as much as some of the biggest oil companies like Exxon, BP and Shell. Few meat and dairy companies calculate or publish their climate emissions. So for the first time ever, we have estimated corporate emissions from livestock, using the most comprehensive methodology created to date by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). And before the meat and dairy industries descend upon COP23 to broadcast their “feed the world” narrative, let’s set the story straight: their emissions could lead us to a point of no return.  

Three meat companies - JBS, Cargill and Tyson - emitted more greenhouse gases last year than all of France and nearly as much as some of the biggest oil companies like Exxon, BP and Shell. Few meat and dairy companies calculate or publish their climate emissions. So for the first time ever, we have estimated corporate emissions from livestock, using the most comprehensive methodology created to date by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). And before the meat and dairy industries descend upon COP23 to broadcast their “feed the world” narrative, let’s set the story straight: their emissions could lead us to a point of no return.  

Africans demand real climate action

Morocco will hand the presidency over to Fiji at the Conference of Parties (COP23) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change taking place in Bonn, Germany.

Morocco will hand the presidency over to Fiji at the Conference of Parties (COP23) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change taking place in Bonn, Germany.