A review revealed that applications for large-scale livestock farms often omit crucial climate impact data, undermining efforts to address greenhouse gas emissions. This matters as it could hinder progress towards the UK's net zero goals by 2050.

A review conducted by Sustain has highlighted significant shortcomings in the planning applications for intensive livestock farms across the UK, revealing that many fail to adequately address their climate impacts. Following a landmark court ruling in 2024, which mandated that all major developments consider their greenhouse gas emissions, the review of 35 applications showed a troubling trend: many applications either ignored or provided minimal information regarding their carbon footprints. This is particularly concerning given that intensive farming is a major source of methane and nitrous oxide emissions, potent greenhouse gases. The findings suggest that if all proposed applications were approved, they could lead to an additional 634,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions annually. Local councils are under pressure to ensure compliance with environmental regulations, yet many have approved applications lacking comprehensive climate assessments. The situation raises questions about the transparency and accountability of agribusinesses in disclosing their environmental impacts.