Intensive livestock farms fail to declare climate impacts in ‘emissions scandal’

The Guardian
The Guardian
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A review revealed that applications for large-scale livestock farms often omit crucial climate impact data, undermining efforts to address greenhouse gas emissions. This matters as it could hinder progress towards the UK's net zero goals by 2050.
Intensive livestock farms fail to declare climate impacts in ‘emissions scandal’
A What happened
A review conducted by Sustain has highlighted significant shortcomings in the planning applications for intensive livestock farms across the UK, revealing that many fail to adequately address their climate impacts. Following a landmark court ruling in 2024, which mandated that all major developments consider their greenhouse gas emissions, the review of 35 applications showed a troubling trend: many applications either ignored or provided minimal information regarding their carbon footprints. This is particularly concerning given that intensive farming is a major source of methane and nitrous oxide emissions, potent greenhouse gases. The findings suggest that if all proposed applications were approved, they could lead to an additional 634,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions annually. Local councils are under pressure to ensure compliance with environmental regulations, yet many have approved applications lacking comprehensive climate assessments. The situation raises questions about the transparency and accountability of agribusinesses in disclosing their environmental impacts.

Key insights

  • 1

    Lack of Climate Data

    Many livestock farm applications omit crucial climate impact assessments.

  • 2

    Legal Obligations Ignored

    Councils are required to consider all significant environmental impacts.

  • 3

    Public Pressure Rising

    Residents are increasingly challenging planning permissions for farms.

  • 4

    Potential Legal Challenges

    Applications lacking climate assessments may face legal scrutiny.

Takeaways

The review underscores a critical gap in the planning process for intensive livestock farms, highlighting the need for stricter enforcement of environmental assessments to mitigate climate impacts and support the UK's net zero ambitions.

Topics

Agriculture Policy & Regulation Climate Change