cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/52593495
Here is the full report (pdf).
The first-ever assessment and ranking of the climate commitments and actions of eight major supermarkets across four Asian countries—China, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore—by global environment organization Mighty Earth, finds three major supermarkets operating in China, DFI Retail Group and Sun Art Retail Group in Hong Kong, and Walmart, are failing to take action on climate pollution, specifically methane emissions from meat, dairy and rice supply chains.
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DFI Retail Group scored 17 points in total, sitting in second place on the table behind AEON of Japan, which was just ahead with 20.5 points out of the 100 available points. Sun Art Retail Group Limited of Hong Kong and Walmart were nearer the bottom end of the ranking, scoring 6 and 4.5 points, respectively.
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“Retailers in China risk losing face when it comes to tackling climate pollution embedded in meat, dairy and rice supply chains", says Meihua Piao, East Asia Manager for Mighty Earth
"Demand for beef in China is driving the super-polluting global trade, while massive methane emissions from rice cultivation are being largely overlooked.”
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Methane is a short-lived but super-polluting greenhouse gas that is roughly 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20 year-period, making rapid cuts to methane emissions one of the fastest levers to slow near-term warming.
- In 2023, methane emissions from Asia reached approximately 4.58 billion tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e). With the region warming at roughly twice the global average, climate impacts are already being felt across economies, ecosystems and societies.
- Beef is the single biggest driver of agricultural methane emissions globally and is the second most widely consumed red meat in Asia after pork. According to the FAO/OECD, meat and seafood consumption in Asia is set to rise by 78% by 2050. In short, growing meat and dairy consumption is driving Asia’s methane emissions.
- Asia accounts for approximately 90% of global rice production and consumption, with methane emissions from rice cultivation representing a major and persistent climate challenge in the region. Globally, approximately 60 million tons of methane is emitted each year from rice production — around 10% of global anthropogenic methane emissions.
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