A refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, Diamond Green Diesel, is transforming cattle fat into bio‑jet fuel for major U.S. airlines. Much of the tallow comes from Brazilian suppliers, some tied to ranches cleared in the Amazon rainforest. Since 2022, the refinery has received over $3 billion in U.S. tax credits for producing sustainable aviation fuels, while airlines including JetBlue and Southwest use the fuel to claim emissions reductions under international sustainability schemes.
However, investigations reveal that some cattle supplying the tallow were sourced from slaughterhouses linked to illegal deforestation. Critics argue that, despite the “green” certification, growing demand for tallow may inadvertently incentivize further Amazon clearing, threatening biodiversity and undermining global climate goals. The case highlights the complexities of biofuel sustainability, showing that what appears environmentally friendly on paper may carry hidden ecological consequences. More