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Health & Science3h 38m ago

A single kilogram of conventionally farmed beef requires approximately 15,400 litres of water to produce and generates approximately 99 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent.

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Netherlands, Switzerland, United States

Who
Mesfin Mekonnen, Arjen Hoekstra, Joseph Poore, Thomas Nemecek
What
A single kilogram of conventionally farmed beef requires approximately 15,400 litres of water to produce and generates approximately 99 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent.
When
Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:30:05 GMT · 3h 38m ago
Where
Netherlands, Switzerland, United States ·
Why
This is based on global analyses from two peer-reviewed datasets in environmental science regarding water and carbon footprints of beef production.
The Frontline Impact

How this affects you

The environmental cost of beef production, particularly in the United States due to high consumption, contributes significantly to national water use and greenhouse gas emissions, with potential for substantial reductions through changes in consumption.

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