Maize
On global average, producing 1 kg of Maize emits about 1.7 kg CO₂e, uses 2.94 m² of land and withdraws 216 litres of fresh water.
- Greenhouse gas emissions1.7kg CO₂e per kgRank 22 of 38
- Land use2.94m² per kgRank 20 of 38
- Freshwater withdrawals216litres per kgRank 23 of 38
per kilogram, global average
Compared with other foods
Greenhouse gas emissions per kilogram of food (kg CO₂e).
- Beef (beef herd)99.5
- Cheese23.9
- Poultry9.87
- Tofu3.16
- Beans, lentils & other pulses1.79
- Maize1.7
Per kilogram, Maize emits 59 times less than Beef (beef herd).
In everyday terms
10 km
The emissions from 1 kg of Maize are about the same as driving 10 km in an average petrol car.
Lower-impact alternatives
Foods that can take a similar place on your plate, with a smaller climate footprint.
More food footprints
Method and data
Footprints vary between farms and countries, but the difference between types of food is usually far larger than the difference between producers of the same food.
Values are global averages from Poore & Nemecek (2018), who compiled data from about 38,700 farms in 119 countries, as published by Our World in Data. Emissions include land-use change, farming, processing, transport, packaging and retail. Real products vary by farm and region; use these figures to compare food types, not individual brands.