The 2021 net greenhouse gas emissions from Australia's red meat industry decreased by 78% compared to 2005, a study published on Thursday showed.
The report, commissioned by Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) and compiled by Australia's National Science Agency CSIRO, found that net greenhouse gas emissions from the red meat industry were equivalent to 31 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) in 2021, a 40% drop compared to the previous year.
"These changes in emissions are primarily due to a reduction in clearing of forest and sparse woody vegetation, and an increase in vegetation growth and carbon storage," the report said.
The report said the reduction was also related to changes in Australia's herd size, with the majority of emissions in 2021 "associated with enteric methane produced by grazing beef cattle, and land cleared and converted to grassland."
Wet conditions favourable for vegetation growth associated with the La Niña weather event between 2020 and 2021 were particularly impactful, MLA's Carbon Neutral 2030 (CN30) project manager Julia Waite said.
In 2017, the Australian red meat industry committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.
About a third of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions is linked to food, according to studies cited by the United Nations, with animal-based foods generally associated with the highest emissions.
Meat production often requires extensive grasslands, which can be created by cutting down trees. Cows also emit methane as they digest grass and plants, while fertilizers used on crops for cattle feed emit nitrous oxide, another greenhouse gas.