Study by the University of Bonn examines carbon emissions from Brazilian soy exports with unprecedented accuracy.
The extent to which Brazilian soy production and trade contribute to climate change depends largely on the location where soybeans are grown. This is shown by a recent study conducted by the University of Bonn together with partners from Spain, Belgium and Sweden. In some municipalities, CO2 emissions resulting from the export of soybean and derivatives are more than 200 times higher than in others. Between 2010 and 2015, the EU imported soy primarily from locations where large forest and savannah areas had previously been converted into agricultural land. The analysis is published in the journal Global Environmental Change.
Global soy trade is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions for multiple reasons. The conversion of natural vegetation into arable land is probably the most important cause, since the latter generally binds considerably less CO2 than the original ecosystems. Greenhouse gases are also released during the harvesting of soybeans and processing into derived products, the subsequent transport to ports of export and shipment.
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