Beef’s Environmental Toll: 15,400 Litres of Water and 99 kg CO2e Per Kilogram
Two peer‑reviewed datasets estimate that producing one kilogram of beef from dedicated herds uses about 15,400 litres of water and emits roughly 99 kg CO2e (100-year GWP). Water use is mostly for feed; the range across systems is wide (roughly 3,000–26,000 L/kg). Emissions come mainly from enteric methane, land‑use change, and farm operations; dairy-beef has a smaller footprint (~33 kg CO2e/kg) and the global average is about 60 kg CO2e/kg. Reducing beef consumption would cut both water use and emissions, with chicken as a lower‑footprint alternative (~90% reduction for the same protein). The article notes debates on green water, GWP timeframes, and regenerative grazing, but beef remains the most environmentally intensive widely consumed food.
