According to the United Nations, the global food and drink system is responsible for a third of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). The main contributors are farming, land use changes and deforestation. A ‘business as usual’ approach will increase emissions by 30-50% by 2050. This will make it extremely difficult, or impossible, to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C as agreed in the Paris Agreement.
The UK food system accounts for around 35% of UK GHG. The manufacturing sector’s share is between 5 and 10% of the total food sector emissions.
Against this backdrop the CFA has published a Net Zero Position outlining the steps it will take towards achieving net zero. These include: the continued improvement of energy efficiency across the manufacturing processes; the substitution of fluorinated gases in refrigeration with more sustainable refrigerants and the decarbonisation of heat wherever possible. And CFA members will seek to work with others – members will share best practice, educate employees to adopt low carbon lifestyles at home and work and develop collaborative projects within supply chains to minimise emissions.
Dr Rachel Hackett, Chair of CFA’s Sustainable Development Working Group: “We set our sustainability aims back in 2009 and over the last 15 years have been working towards achieving these with success. As a responsible food manufacturing sector, we have a role to play in reducing the impacts of climate change by reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of our members. Indeed our ambition, to become net zero by 2040, is a full 10 years before government’s own target.
Our Net Zero Position Statement clearly sets out our path to our target and our progress will be continuously reviewed to ensure we’re tackling the challenges using new technologies and applying the most up to date science.”
The full statement can be found on our website: https://bit.ly/3zHRPCQ
Image courtesy of Vecteezy.com
September 2024