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Compared to 1961, 2016 global beef production is up 138% and GHG emissions directly produced from beef production are up 61%. Human population grew 142%. All data from UN FAOSTAT: fao.org/faostat/en/#da… 
GHG emissions didn't grow as much as beef production because the emissions intensity of beef (kg CO2 equivalent emissions/kg beef) went down 32%. However, this global average emissions intensity masks considerable regional variation.
Developing nations had a larger decline in the emissions intensity of beef - 53% - but their emissions per kg of beef are still far higher than the average in developed countries in 2016 (34 vs. 14 kg CO2e/kg beef)
This translates into different trends in total direct GHG emissions coming from beef production in developed vs. developing countries. GHG emissions are actually 1% lower in developed countries, but 98% higher in developing countries.
Despite the 98% increase in GHG emissions in developing nations, their beef production went up 323%. In developed nations, beef production is up 49% despite GHG emissions being 1% lower. That's the reduction in emissions intensity at work - more with less.
If developing nations' lowered their emissions intensity from 34 to 14 kg CO2e per kg beef (current average of developed nations), we could produce the same amount of beef in the world with a 45% reduction in GHG emissions.
