Los Nuevos Mercaderes de la Duda

The report exposes how 'Big Meat and Dairy' corporations employ strategies similar to those of the tobacco and fossil fuel industries to avoid environmental regulation. It identifies three primary tactics: distracting the public through greenwashing and targeting Gen Z via social media; delaying action by promoting voluntary targets and industry-funded science (such as GWP* metrics and 'regenerative agriculture'); and derailing legislation through political lobbying and 'revolving door' appointments. The analysis covers 22 major corporations across four continents, highlighting a systemic lack of scientific integrity in their climate goals and a preference for spending on advertising over low-carbon research and development. Specific case studies in the US, EU, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, and Great Britain illustrate how these tactics have successfully weakened policies like the EU Green Deal and the Global Methane Pledge.

• Major livestock and dairy corporations use a three-part strategy of 'distract, delay, and derail' to avoid climate accountability, mirroring tactics previously used by the tobacco and fossil fuel industries.
• The industry employs 'greenwashing' and social media campaigns specifically targeting Generation Z to present meat and dairy as healthy and environmentally friendly, often using influencers on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.
• Corporations fund specific scientific narratives to downplay methane's impact, including the claim that livestock methane is part of a biogenic cycle and the promotion of the GWP* (Global Warming Potential) metric to suggest 'climate neutrality' is easily achievable.
• The term 'regenerative agriculture' is used by companies like Nestlé, FrieslandCampina, and Dairy Farmers of America as a vague concept to argue against reducing livestock numbers, claiming that grazing practices can offset emissions.
• There is a significant disparity between corporate advertising and actual investment in low-carbon solutions; for example, JBS spends only 6.2% of its annual advertising and marketing budget (294 million EUR) on net-zero initiatives (20 million USD).
• In the European Union, industry lobbying by groups like Copa-Cogeca and the European Dairy Industry (EDA) has weakened the Green Deal and the 'Farm to Fork' strategy, including the removal of a 30% agricultural emission reduction target for 2040.
• In the United States, the industry benefits from 'agricultural exceptionalism,' where the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and USDA funding (nearly 20 billion USD) provide incentives for technical solutions like biodigesters without requiring proven emission reductions.
• Of the 22 corporations analyzed, only 15 had climate goals, and none met the UN experts' standards for integrity, with Danone being the only one to commit to a specific 30% methane reduction by 2030.
• Case studies in other regions show similar patterns: New Zealand's industry blocked a 'Fart Tax' in 2003; Australia used alarmism to delay joining the Global Methane Pledge; and Italy banned cultivated meats using disinformation campaigns.

APA

Changing Markets Foundation (2024). Los Nuevos Mercaderes de la Duda. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Spanish-Executive-Summary.pdf

Chicago

Changing Markets Foundation. Los Nuevos Mercaderes de la Duda. 2024. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Spanish-Executive-Summary.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Changing Markets Foundation |title=Los Nuevos Mercaderes de la Duda |date=July 2024 |url=https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Spanish-Executive-Summary.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{changingmarketsfoundation2024los, author = {{Changing Markets Foundation}}, title = {{Los Nuevos Mercaderes de la Duda}}, institution = {Changing Markets Foundation}, year = {2024}, month = jul, url = {https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Spanish-Executive-Summary.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }