The vast majority of Europe’s farmland is dedicated to feeding an increasing number of farm animals for meat, dairy and eggs.
This huge overproduction of animals brings dangerous levels of pollution. Our air, water and soil are saturated with harmful chemicals from animal wastes, with disastrous effects for human health, wildlife and our hopes of a stable climate.
Three of the most concerning pollutants are:
The European Commission has proposed an update to the EU’s industrial emissions rules, which also cover emissions from livestock farms. Read Greenpeace’s concerns about the EU’s Industrial Emissions Directive.