Environmental footprint of milk and meat from the French cattle sector: progresses since 1990 and future trends to 2035

French cattle farming is committing to take part to national and European mitigation targets. This study combine macro- economics and life cycle assessment to estimate the contributions of the different methods of producing milk and meat at national level and to propose improvement strategies for the future. Analyses of passed production systems, livestock population and agricultural practices allowed us to specify GHG emissions, energy consumption and corresponding footprints, from 1990 to 2010. Various coherent, plausible and contrasted economic scenarios has been chosen to explore the future possible for the horizon 2035. From 1990 to 2010, the cattle sector reduced its emissions and energy consumptions (respectively -10.6% and -22%). This reduction is mainly the result of the decrease in cattle population: improvements in dairy productivity have been followed by a decrease in the number of dairy cows, only partially balanced by an increase of the suckler cows population. Farmers’ progress in fertilization management and energy saving also contributed to the overall reduction. This is translated in a reduction of 20% of the carbon footprint (CF) of milk but an increase of 5% in the CF of meat, due to changes in animal products (less dairy cows, more animals from suckler herd, with impact allocation). On the basis of an underlying projection of milk and meat productions for 2035, the future trend would be a stabilization in GHG emissions (+0.5%) and a decrease of energy consumption (-13%) from 2010 to 2035. The CF of milk would reach 0.94 kg CO 2 eq/kg FPCM and CF of beef 14.9 kg CO 2 eq/kg LW. Adoption of additional mitigation techniques would lead to improve both CF of milk and meat by -6% and -13%. Other scenarios explore contrasted situations, on the level of production, as well as on the ways to produce milk and meat. The results should help the sector to make the future stakes their own, in a context of questionings and strong expectations for livestock regarding climate change.