By Abbas Nazil
Local councils across the United Kingdom are under fire for approving large-scale pig and poultry farms without adequate climate impact assessments, despite legal obligations to consider greenhouse gas emissions in planning decisions.
A review by advocacy group, Sustain, analysed by DeSmog and The Guardian, examined 35 proposed intensive livestock developments across major farming regions including Herefordshire, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Suffolk, and Wales following the 2024 Finch Supreme Court ruling.
The review revealed that none of the applications provided estimates of greenhouse gas emissions, even though farms housing over 900 sows, 3,000 pigs, or 60,000 hens are required to assess environmental impacts under UK law.
If approved, the proposed projects could add more than 37 million animals annually, generating around 634,000 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions—comparable to nearly half a million London–New York return flights.
Despite the environmental implications, councils in several counties have granted permission to six farms lacking any emission data in the past year.
Campaigners warn that “vital information is being kept from councils and the public.”
Ruth Westcott of *Sustain* described the situation as an “emissions scandal,” accusing agribusinesses of concealing pollution data to avoid scrutiny.
Some councils, such as those in King’s Lynn & West Norfolk and Breckland, have rejected farm proposals over missing climate assessments.
Yet others continue to approve similar projects, claiming compliance with existing planning regulations.
Environmental lawyer Ricardo Gama of Leigh Day said companies neglecting climate assessments could face legal challenges, adding that agriculture “has flown under the radar” for too long.
The report also found most environmental impact assessments ignored indirect emissions, including those from animal feed like soy, which drives deforestation in regions such as the Amazon.
With more than 1,500 industrial-scale pig and poultry farms already operating nationwide, campaigners and residents are urging stricter scrutiny of applications to ensure alignment with the UK’s 2050 net-zero target.