To put things into perspective, here are some indicative figures (in kg of CO₂ equivalent per unit of product):
- Wine (0.75 L)→ ~1 kg CO₂e
- Olive oil (1 L)→ ~2–3 kg CO₂e
- Pomegranate juice (1 L)→ ~0.7 kg CO₂e
A little or a lot?
For comparison, beef—one of the most carbon-intensive foods—generates around60 kg of CO₂eper kilogram of product.
The Most Polluting Sectors
The largest contributor isthe energy sector,which includes electricity, heating, transport and all other energy uses, accounting for approximately73% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Breakdown by sector:
- Energy used in industry: 24.2% (steel: 7.2%, chemicals and petrochemicals: 3.6%, …)
- Buildings (energy use): 17.5%
- Transport: 16.2%
- Other fuel combustion: 7.8%
The second largest contributor is theAgriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sector,which accounts for approximately18.4% of global emissions.
Within this sector:
- Livestock and manure: 5.8%
- Agricultural soils (N₂O): 4.1%
- Crop residue burning: 3.5%
- Net deforestation: 2.2%
- Crops (net carbon stock change): 1.4%
- Rice cultivation (CH₄): 1.3%
Within the primary sector, the largest share of emissions comes from livestock farming, which explains why the overall figures are so high.
And what about viticulture?
Its contribution to global greenhouse gas emissionsis very small—less than 0.2%.
Although viticulture belongs to the agricultural sector, which as a whole is responsible for around one fifth of global emissions, vineyards represent only a small share, especially when compared with industries such as beef, dairy and rice production, which account for a much larger environmental impact.
Wine therefore has a much lower environmental impact than beef or rice, but a higher carbon footprint than cereals and legumes, mainly because ofpackaging and transport.
Where Does Wine’s Carbon Footprint Come From?
Many people assume that tractors are the main source of emissions, but that is not the case.
The agricultural phase accounts for a relatively small share—around one seventh of the total.
Most of the environmental impact comes from the industrial stages of production.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies of still wine (0.75 L bottle)typically show the following breakdown:
- Packaging (glass, cardboard, corks and capsules):~30–40%
- Transport and distribution:~25–30%
- Winemaking (electricity, refrigeration and pumps):~10–15%
- Viticulture (tractor fuel, fertilisers and soil N₂O emissions): ~10–15%
- Waste, wastewater and other factors:~5%
→ Next article:Meat and Livestock Farming: The Hidden Climate Challenge