Carbon footprint of pigmeat in Flanders

Although several international carbon footprint (CF) calculation initiatives have been developed, studies that focus specifically on estimating the CF of pigmeat are rather limited. This paper describes the application of a CF methodology, based on lifecycle assessment of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, for Flemish pigmeat production using the Publicly Available Specification methodology (PAS2050, BSI 2011), which is at present the most developed method and relevant within the agricultural and horticultural sector. Both primary and secondary data have been used to model the meat system through a chain approach. The results are reported using the functional unit of 1 kg of deboned pigmeat; and range from 4.8 to 6.4 kg CO₂ eq./kg of deboned pig meat. A sensitivity analysis has been executed on changes in herd and feed characteristics. The results have been compared with other studies on the CF of pigmeat in the European Union and with CF studies on milk and beef production in Flanders. Furthermore, two major hotspots in the CF have been defined: the composition and production of feed, and manure production and usage. It is important to mention that the CF is a good indicator for GHG emissions, but it is not an indicator for environmental impact in general. This paper helps to fill the void in the CF literature which existed around pigmeat products and to define a benchmark for CF of pigmeat.