Prediction of Carbon Footprint Due to Meat Industry

Meat industry is one of the major contributors to carbon emissions. It accounts for approximately 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The livestock industry emits approximately 7.1 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) annually, with beef and milk being the largest sources. Without mitigation, per capita and total meat consumption and greenhouse gas emissions would increase significantly. The meat industry faces intense scrutiny demanding more sustainable and ethical practices. The global food system accounts for almost a quarter of man-made greenhouse gas emissions, yet the meat industry is overlooked when it comes to reducing carbon emissions. In this paper, we present a forecasting model that uses the ARIMA i.e. Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average to accurately predict the carbon footprint of the meat industry. We have considered seven different meat and livestock categories: cows, chickens, pigs, sheep, goats, eggs, and cow milk for 20 major countries. The results can be used to inform environmental policy makers and government agencies, agri-food industry stakeholders, meat producers and suppliers, and to raise consumer awareness. By choosing alternative meat sources, such as plant-based or laboratory-grown meats, we can reduce our environmental footprint and contribute to a more sustainable future.