Switching to plant-based cheese can reduce carbon emissions by 50 per cent compared to the dairy version, a study has found. A life cycle evaluation used to determine environmental impacts, including indicators for climate impact and land use, has revealed that cheese is a major cause of carbon emissions.
Popular dairy cheese varieties such as cheddar, mozzarella, feta and Parmesan yield between 6.4 and 13.4 kg carbon dioxide (eq) per kilo over their life cycle, according to sustainability consultancy Quantis. By comparison, the climate impacts of Violife vegan alternatives to dairy cheese are substantially lower and create at least 3.7 kg less carbon dioxide per kilo, the equivalent of driving a car almost seven miles.
The findings come as a survey of 2,000 adults revealed that while many show an interest in the impact of cheese production on the environment, one in three admit they don’t understand how greenhouse gas emissions and food production are linked.
