Sustainable Labels and The Environmental Footprint of Food

Delivery

This report comes in PPT.

Key Findings

Agriculture has the potential to reduce GHG emissions by more than 60% without changes to dietary choices, factoring in population growth

Assuming elimination of 99% of methane emissions from cows, goats and sheep, a 48% reduction in methane reduction from rice cultivation and 55% reduction in emissions from fertiliser production and elimination of net deforestation, 61% of agriculture GHG emissions would be cut. The strengthening of agricultural practices around the world will provide additional food for a growing population with no additional land, and may even restore carbon stocks in depleted soils.

Direct benefits to farmers will be enough for some change, but not all

Reducing methanogenesis in cows increases growth rates. Similarly, the revolutionary alternate drying and wetting of rice fields increases yields while reducing methane emissions. Farmers have direct incentives to adopt both quickly.

Labels certifying usage of the most environmentally efficient technologies necessary to provide additional motives

Beyond changes to agricultural practices in rice cultivation and cattle rearing which offer direct benefits to farmers in terms of production efficiency, more expensive climate friendly fertiliser, biogas-powered tractors and investment in renewable energy for food processing will need to be offset by higher food prices, which highlights the need for communication to consumers.

Regenerative agriculture is the new organic

Organic was long seen as the holy grail of sustainable farming, but with the emergence of climate as the key focus, regenerative agriculture has emerged as an alternative. This includes a focus on sequestering carbon by restoring depleted farmland and by minimising soil disturbance. Regenerative agriculture aims to increase biodiversity and sequester carbon in soil, while achieving high yields.