Annual global GHG emissions from plant-based food production, by select commodity
Of the plant-based food commodities that contribute the most to global greenhouse gas emissions, rice is the largest polluter. According to a recent study, global rice production releases an estimated 2.1 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually, which accounts for approximately 12 percent of global food emissions. Rice is often grown in flooded fields, which creates ideal conditions for methane emitting bacteria. While rice produces a considerable amount of emissions each year, they are far lower than beef production emissions.
