Global climate progress is more than just a commitment – it requires action.
For the dairy sector, and agriculture in general, Pathways to Dairy Net Zero (P2DNZ), which celebrates its fourth year in 2025, is leading the way.
“The dairy sector is recognized as a leader in the agricultural commodity space, and a big part of that is Pathways to Dairy Net Zero,” said Donald Moore, Executive Director of Global Dairy Platform (GDP), which drives much of the ongoing activity in P2DNZ.
The initiative was launched in September 2021 with the support of many of the top dairy companies and industry associations around the world. It is governed by GDP, the International Dairy Federation, Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform, International Livestock Research Institute, Dairy Sustainability Framework and IFCN Dairy Research Network. About 200 companies and organizations have declared their support for P2DNZ.
What sets P2DNZ apart from other industry initiatives is its focus on tangible results and real-world impact through task forces and projects that benefit the sector in both mature dairy regions and emerging economies alike. That makes P2DNZ an ideal program for this time, Moore said.
“Now is the time for action,” he said. “We have to be at the point of delivery, and I think that’s going to be our challenge going forward. How can we deliver it?”
P2DNZ also focuses on an important aspect of climate progress – socio-economic impact. There is always a socio-economic component that supports farmers and communities, as well as efforts to increase consumer access to nutrient-rich dairy products.
The Cooperative Advantage
A unique strength of the dairy sector is its cooperative ethos, which allows it to move faster and more effectively than many other agricultural sectors, with farmer-owners driving change at the Board level..
“It comes down to the fact that in the dairy sector, no one dairy farmer was ever big enough to process and effectively market their own milk,” Moore said. “So, they always banded together to do so and often became co-operatives, and even the organizations that aren’t co-ops in the dairy sector tend to operate on cooperative principles.”
The dairy sector’s tradition of cooperation allows producers to share resources, knowledge, and best practices more effectively, making it easier to both accelerate and scale climate action. The sense of shared purpose enables the dairy industry to act collectively, setting a powerful example for other sectors.
Brian Lindsay, who is sustainability lead for GDP and runs the Dairy Sustainability Framework (DSF), says the fact that the industry has daily contact between the farmer and the customer allows dairy to move quickly toward climate solutions.
“This daily contact fosters closer relationships and facilitates a better understanding of what is needed, allowing value chains to invest and drive sustainable change, enabling dairy producers to implement climate-smart solutions more rapidly,” he said.
P2DNZ in Developed Economies
In developed markets, P2DNZ focuses on reducing environmental impact through innovation, and ensuring global GHG accounting methods account for the uniqueness of the dairy value chain. Representatives of commercial companies, industry organizations and P2DNZ partner associations lead three task forces focused on issues in developed economies – Animal Nutrition, Dairy Processing and GHG Accounting.
The Animal Nutrition Task Force drives global progress across three key areas:
- Optimizing dairy farming systems
- Enhancing nutrition systems
- Accelerating innovation adoption by farmers
A second in-person workshop took place in The Netherlands in March 2025 to drive more progress in those areas, building on the hugely successful inaugural meeting that took place in 2024 to identify the most impactful workstreams. The initiative, supported by a grant from Trouw Nutrition, remains open to all organizations and stakeholders who have an interest or role to play in the animal nutrition space.
The Dairy Processing Task Force, which is supported by a grant from Tetra Pak, examined the milk receiving process in 2024, with additional processes scheduled for review in 2025. It is open to all dairy companies and equipment suppliers. The aim of the Dairy Processing Task Force is to demonstrate efficiency gains that can be achieved by targeted actions in dairy processing.
The GHG Accounting Task Force is providing key insights into the GHG Protocol’s Land Sector and Removals Guidance (LSRG) to address the unique needs of the dairy sector. The Task Force has initiated work in several areas:
- Mass Balance/Sourcing Region
- MRV Safeguarding
- Land Carbon Losses/Carbon Opportunity Cost
- Biogas production and how it is addressed by the guidance
P2DNZ in Emerging Economies
In emerging markets, which are responsible for about 80% of dairy sector emissions, investment is crucial to transforming the sector in a holistic way, though enhancing nutrition accessibility, fostering socio-economic growth, and reducing emissions.
P2DNZ, in collaboration with the Global Methane Pledge and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), invited 10 countries to participate as early adopters, with these countries agreeing to the program: Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda in Africa; Uruguay and Costa Rica in the Americas; and Pakistan and Vietnam in Asia.
Active projects include:
- The East Africa Regional Initiative, which is in the final stages of consideration by the Green Climate Fund (GCF). The proposal for just under USD 400 million is led by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), with the support of FAO, Bain & Co, Global Methane Hub, USAID and GDP. It will support the transition of the region’s dairy systems to higher productivity, lower emission and climate-resilient pathways.
- In Latin America, efforts are under way to develop a Concept Note for projects in Costa Rica and Uruguay, led by CAF, the Latin American Development Bank, with support from FAO and GDP.
- In Pakistan, the National Rural Support Programme (NRSP), with support from Global Methane Hub and GDP, is leading the development of a Concept Note for initial GCF approval, marking the start of a transformative initiative in Pakistan’s dairy sector.
Demonstrating Impact at Scale
One of the core drivers of P2DNZ’s approach is its commitment to demonstrating real, measurable results.
Lindsay emphasizes that while discussions are valuable, showing real results is what matters most. “Another key driver of ours is beyond the results; it is actually demonstrating the impact we’re having,” and how we are moving the dial in the long term.
Through DSF, the dairy sector tracks and reports on global sustainability progress, not only in environmental areas but also across social and economic aspects. This transparency strengthens P2DNZ’s ability to engage with stakeholders and drive collective action.
“We can’t just go and talk and get a nice warm feeling in our heart,” Lindsay says. “Yes, We’re going to go and talk but also demonstrate the difference we can make if we’re going to be that leader in solutions for climate ambition.”
By moving beyond theoretical discussions and demonstrating its capacity to create change at scale, P2DNZ has built credibility as a platform for action on climate change. This approach has also strengthened partnerships with global NGOs, aligning efforts to achieve mutual sustainability goals.