Milk vs. plant-based drinks: big differences in carbon footprint and water requirements

By: Trademagazin Date: 2026. 01. 16. 11:13

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The production of a cup (240 ml) of cow’s milk results in an average of nearly three times the greenhouse gas emissions of most plant-based alternatives – according to a recent comparison by the World Resources Institute (WRI), which was shared by Agrarszektor.

According to WRI data, the average emission of cow’s milk is 330 g CO₂e/cup, while plant-based drinks show much lower values: soy 122 g, oats 102 g, almonds 98 g, peas 71 g, coconut 69 g CO₂e.

The variation in water use is even greater: cow’s milk uses 21 liters/cup, and almond drink uses almost the same amount, 19 liters, while soy uses 5 liters, oats 9 liters, and coconut uses only 1 liter of “blue water” (surface and groundwater extraction) in the comparison. There is no data on blue water for pea drink, however, according to the cited estimate by WRI, its total water footprint may be 86% lower than cow’s milk.

From a nutritional point of view, the protein content shades the picture: cow’s milk has 8.2 g protein/cup, pea drink 7.5 g, soy 6.1 g, while oats (2.7 g), almonds (1.0 g) and coconut (0.5 g) show much lower values.

From a commercial point of view, the numbers confirm that the “choice of milk” may increasingly be a question of sustainability positioning: plant-based drinks (especially soy and pea-based) may have a lower environmental footprint and a substantial protein content at the same time, while For almond drinks, water requirements may pose a special communication risk in water-stressed growing areas.