Current carbon policies and emerging emission control technologies in the dairy supply chain

Addressing the dynamic changes in the carbon footprint (CF) of the dairy industry to meet the diverse demands of different countries and achieve the global net-zero emission target presents a significant challenge. This study integrates a systematic scoping of CF and reduction strategies, with a policy analysis utilizing Term Frequency–Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF) statistics to provide a comprehensive assessment of current efforts to mitigate CF in the dairy industry. Across 29 countries, the CF of dairy production ranges from 0.57 kg CO₂-eq/kg FPCM (Norway) to 5.85 kg CO₂-eq/kg FPCM (Tanzania). Mitigation strategies are implemented across the entire dairy supply chain, with a primary focus on the milk production stage. Among the six countries analyzed over a 10-year period, New Zealand demonstrated the highest policy effectiveness, largely due to measures targeting feeding practices and dairy cattle breeding. This article offers an in-depth evaluation of CF reduction in the dairy sector, integrating environmental, technological, and policy dimensions.