What every Restaurant Manager should know about food carbon emissions

Every bite we serve, every delivery truck, and every piece of kitchen equipment adds up in our atmosphere. Greenhouse gases (GHGs) like CO₂, nitrous oxide and methane trap the sun's heat, making our planet warmer. Without them, Earth would be a frigid -18°C, pretty much uninhabitable.

But here's where it gets interesting for food service: not all GHGs are created equal, so we convert them into CO₂-equivalents (CO₂e). Methane from cattle, for example, is up to 85 times more warming than CO₂ per molecule. When we add it all up, we get a clearer picture of each gas's climate impact and why 1°C of warming already leaves 1 billion people short greenhouse-gases-and-food-emissions-in-2025-what-they-are-and-why-they-matteron water, while 2°C could stress 3 billion and threaten 20–30% of species with extinction.

That's why the Paris Agreement aimed to cap warming at 1.5–2°C. But today's national climate plans aren't strong enough and we're already eyeing 2°C.

Dish by dish: understanding food’s carbon footprint

Here's where it gets practical for anyone managing menus. We break down the lifecycle of a meal to reveal its global warming potential. When animal products like cheese show up on your menu, hidden sources like animal feed often dominate the impact—not the final transport to your kitchen. To make it tangible, we compare the CO₂ impact to equivalent car kilometers driven.

Food systems? They’re a heavyweight:

Source	Share of Total GHGs
Agriculture & fisheries	~24%, with ~⅓ from animals
Crop production	~26%—including fertilizer and machinery
Land use (deforestation etc.)	~24%, stripping trees that absorb CO₂
Supply chain (transport, packaging, retail energy)	~18%

Surprise: Transport isn’t the main villain. What matters most is what you serve, not necessarily where it comes from.

4 smart moves for tackling global warming

We don’t need all-or-nothing. Here's how small shifts make a big difference:

1. Reduce meat & dairy. Even cutting back one day a week lowers your overall footprint significantly.

2. Support lower-carbon production. Smarter practices can make animal farming kinder to the climate.

3. Boost crop yields sustainably. More from less land means preserved forests and lower emissions.

4. Cut food waste. A staggering 1 in 3 meals is wasted. That's needless carbon and lost profit.

Bonus: thoughtful packaging can help, if done right.

2025 Landscape: what’s changing in Europe

EU Emissions trend: mixed signals

• 2023 brought real progress: a record –8.3% in net GHG emissions, now 37% below 1990 levels, while economic output soared. European Environment Agency

• But early 2025’s Q1 delivered a setback: emissions climbed 3.4% versus Q1 2024. Only a few countries—Malta (–6.2%), Finland (–4.4%), Denmark (–4.3%), Sweden—managed reductions. European Commission

  
  

Why it matters for food service

As sustainability becomes standard practice, these trends aren't just statistics—they shape policy, funding, and what customers expect. The EU's green commitments ripple into local catering, hospital kitchens, and hotel operations across the region.

Policy on the move

• The EU has proposed a legally binding 2040 target: –90% GHG emissions compared to 1990. European Commission

• Farming remains a challenging front: agricultural GHGs have dropped just 5–7% since 2005, not enough. European Environment Agency

  
  

Regenerative solutions rising

From soil health to smarter breeding, we see progress and interesting initiatives:

• Regenerative farming, boosting microbial life in soils, is gaining traction. In the UK, it’s influencing policy and on-the-ground practice. The Guardian

• Quality Meat Scotland is exploring genetics to cut emissions while keeping farms efficient and humane. farminguk.com

  
  

Transport: moving the needle

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are delivering clear wins—73% lower life-cycle emissions than gasoline models. Hybrids only offer 20–30% reductions. theicct.org

Yet, power sources still matter. Fossil fuel generation jumped in mid‑2025—renewables like wind and hydro dipped, even as solar hit record highs. Reuters

Why this matters and what you can do

Why it matters: Climate-smart food systems can reduce GHGs and they connect directly to health, biodiversity, food prices, and social equity. In a Brussels or EU-wide context, decisions made today shape the future of sustainability in catering, hospitality, and healthcare.

What you can do:

• Start tracking life-cycle emissions of menu items.

• Prioritize seasonal, low-carbon ingredients. Even small changes add up!

• Look into regenerative agriculture suppliers when sourcing.

• Support electrification and local renewable energy in your facilities.

  
  

Understanding these basics isn't just good for the planet—it's becoming essential for business. Let's keep turning insight into action, one meal at a time.