Carbon Footprints in the Production of Animal Products in the Context of the Obligation to Report It

The aim of the paper was to analyse the genesis of the idea of carbon footprint (CF) reporting, the current EU regulations in force in this regard, and to provide a concrete example of practical measures in poultry production. The CF is the total sum of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated directly or indirectly by an organisation, product, service, event or human activity, expressed as a CO2 equivalent. Livestock production accounts for 12% to 14.5% of global methane and nitrous oxide emissions. GHG emissions from livestock production are closely linked to the species of animals; the highest CF values apply to products derived from ruminants, but poultry is also considered an environmental threat, inter alia due to the production scale. The CF of poultry production is not uniform and depends on many factors, including the farm location and climatic conditions of the region, the profile of production, its stage, the birds feeding and CF method of analysis. Industrial development is a continuous process that must align with the principles of sustainability and EU climate policy; therefore, it is necessary to look for and implement solutions to reduce its emissions in line with evolving European legal standards.