Food · emission factor
The Carbon Footprint of Chicken
620 g CO₂e / 100g
Chicken has a carbon footprint of about 620 g CO₂e per 100 g, based on the global life-cycle analysis by Poore & Nemecek (2018, Science). That makes it one of the lowest-impact meats — roughly five times less carbon-intensive than beef (2,990 g) and about half the footprint of pork (1,220 g). For many people, switching from red meat to chicken is one of the largest single dietary emission cuts available.
Why chicken's footprint is relatively low
Chickens are not ruminants, so unlike cattle and sheep they produce virtually no methane from digestion — the single biggest reason beef and lamb sit far higher on the emissions scale. Poultry also convert feed into edible protein very efficiently: a broiler chicken needs roughly 2 kg of feed per kg of live weight, versus 6–10 kg for cattle. Faster growth cycles (around 6–7 weeks to slaughter weight) mean less time accumulating emissions per kilogram of meat. Most of chicken's 620 g CO₂e per 100 g comes from growing feed crops like soy and maize — including fertilizer production, nitrous oxide from soils, and land-use change — plus energy for housing, processing, and refrigeration.
How chicken compares with other proteins
At 620 g CO₂e per 100 g, chicken sits well below beef (2,990 g), lamb (2,420 g), cheese (1,350 g), and pork (1,220 g), and close to fish (550 g) and eggs (450 g). Plant proteins remain lower still: tofu is around 200 g and beans about 100 g per 100 g. To put it in transport terms, a 200 g chicken portion (~1.24 kg CO₂e) is comparable to driving a petrol car about 5 km. Livestock as a whole accounts for roughly 14–15% of global greenhouse gas emissions according to the FAO, but poultry contributes a small share of that total relative to the volume of meat it supplies.
What drives variation between chicken products
The 620 g figure is a global average; actual footprints vary with farming system and feed sourcing. Feed grown on recently deforested land — notably some South American soy — can significantly raise the footprint, while locally sourced or deforestation-free feed lowers it. Intensive indoor systems tend to have lower emissions per kilogram than free-range or organic systems, because birds grow faster and convert feed more efficiently, though welfare and other environmental trade-offs point the other way. Processing, freezing, packaging, and food waste add further emissions after the farm gate: wasted chicken carries its full production footprint with no benefit.
How chicken compares
How to reduce this footprint
- ✓ Swap beef or lamb dishes for chicken to cut that meal's protein footprint by roughly 75–80%.
- ✓ Buy whole birds and use the carcass for stock — more meals per animal means fewer emissions per serving.
- ✓ Choose chicken with certified deforestation-free or locally grown feed where labels allow.
- ✓ Plan portions and freeze leftovers, since wasted chicken wastes its entire 620 g/100g footprint; tracking meals in an app like Decarbonr helps you see the difference these swaps make.
Frequently asked questions
Is chicken bad for the environment?
Chicken is one of the lowest-impact meats at about 620 g CO₂e per 100 g — roughly a fifth of beef's footprint. It still emits more than plant proteins like beans (100 g) or tofu (200 g), so it sits in the middle ground between red meat and plant-based diets.
How much CO₂ does a chicken breast produce?
A typical 200 g chicken breast accounts for roughly 1.2 kg CO₂e, based on the 620 g per 100 g life-cycle average from Poore & Nemecek (2018). That is comparable to driving a petrol car around 5 km.
Why does chicken have a lower carbon footprint than beef?
Chickens produce almost no methane because they are not ruminants, while cattle emit large amounts through digestion. Chickens also convert feed to meat several times more efficiently and reach market weight in weeks rather than years, so far fewer emissions accumulate per kilogram of meat.
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Sources & methodology: see Research & scientific references. Figures are averages used by the Decarbonr app; real-world values vary by production system, country, and occupancy.