Carbon Neutrality in the Agri-food Sector: Challenges and Opportunities in a Dynamic Setting

Description

This book deals with the in-depth study of sustainability issues in the agri-food sector. In particular, a critical analysis of the current situation was developed and the future prospects of the sector on the issue of managing the environmental variable and the impacts relating to food production and consumption have been analyzed. Furthermore, the state of implementation and best practices relating to the carbon neutrality model in the agri-food sector were analyzed and models for the development of a new food production system were proposed with particular reference to the reduction of emissions, regeneration of natural resources, the elimination of waste and the reuse of production by-products. The main objectives of the book are to analyze the current situation and trends regarding carbon neutrality schemes and the connection with other greening programs, to identify and analyze the carbon-related labels, their methodology and their conformity assessment mechanisms and to understand possible key drivers for carbon neutrality or low carbon achievements in the agri-food sector. Today companies are acting on climate change pressures implementing carbon-neutral strategies for their brands and products. These frontrunner companies have identified a specific competitive advantage and are exploiting it to become the pioneers and the reference model for the carbon neutral implementation. This book will provide detailed and practical insights on how your organization can take positive action and be part of the global response developing a carbon neutral business. Preface Acknowledgments Contents List of Figures List of Tables Chapter 1: Carbon Neutrality: If Not Now, When? 1.1 Citizens´ Perception of Climate Change Seriousness 1.2 Climate Change and Carbon Neutrality Policies 1.2.1 Long-Term Low Greenhouse Gas Emission Development Strategies and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) 1.2.2 The UNFCCC´s Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) Framework and Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) 1.3 Countries´ Carbon Neutral Policies 1.4 Carbon Neutrality Definitions References Chapter 2: Carbon Neutrality in the Agri-Food Sector 2.1 Agri-Food Systems Are Facing a Growing Climate Change Problem and Opportunity 2.2 Agriculture as Source of Solutions in Fighting Climate Change: Turning a Planetary Pollutant into an Asset 2.3 Mitigation Projects in the Agri-Food Sector 2.3.1 Tree-Planting Initiatives 2.3.2 Offset Projects in the Agri-Food Sector 2.3.2.1 The Fairtrade Case Study 2.3.2.2 The Rainforest Alliance Case Study References Chapter 3: Putting a Farm into an Emissions Test Lab 3.1 Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) and Carbon Footprints 3.2 Carbon Footprint (CF) 3.2.1 Organizational Carbon Footprint (OCF) 3.2.2 Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) 3.3 The GHG Protocol Initiative 3.3.1 The GHG Protocol for Guidance on Carbon Removals and Land Use 3.3.2 Scope of the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard 3.4 Carbon Footprint in Agri-Food Sector: Methodological Issues References Chapter 4: Governance Issues in Carbon Emissions: Can a Food Emissions Gate Be Avoided? 4.1 `Emissions Gate´ and Increasing Concerns Over Greenwashing 4.1.1 Greenwashing and Companies´ Sustainability Reporting 4.1.2 Sustainability Reporting: What Investors Are Asking 4.2 Carbon Disclosure Initiatives References Chapter 5: The Governance of the Carbon Neutrality System: Is Carbon Neutrality a Tool for the Low-Carbon Transition? 5.1 Carbon Neutrality: A Nudging Strategy Towards the Decarbonization 5.2 Different Approaches to Use the Carbon Footprint 5.2.1 Carbon quantification /Measurement 5.2.2 Carbon Reduction 5.2.3 Carbon Neutrality 5.2.4 Climate/Carbon Positive 5.3 Carbon Offsets 5.3.1 Carbon Offset Standards 5.3.2 Voluntary Offset Market Trends 5.4 Carbon Insetting 5.4.1 The Plan Vivo Standard for Insetting 5.4.2 Insetting Case Studies 5.5 Targets and Scopes of the Companies´ Carbon Neutrality Path 5.5.1 Targets of the Carbon Neutrality 5.5.2 Scope of the Carbon Neutrality 5.6 Voluntary Standards and Carbon Neutrality 5.6.1 The PAS 2060: 2014 Specification for the Demonstration of Carbon Neutrality 5.6.2 The Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard 5.7 Verification, Certification, Accreditation and Labels 5.8 Carbon Neutral Labels References Chapter 6: How Difficult Is It to Reach Carbon Neutrality? Tales of Different Agri-Food Chains 6.1 The Role of Different Actors of the Agri-Food Supply Chain in Achieving Sector´ Carbon Neutrality 6.2 Differentiated Impacts for Different Food Products 6.3 Achieving Carbon Neutrality in Different Agri-Food Chains: Case Studies Analysis 6.3.1 Carbon Neutral Fruits: The Dole Carbon Neutral Strategy for Bananas and Pineapples 6.3.2 Carbon Neutral Coffee: The Coopedota Case Study 6.3.3 Carbon Neutral Meat: The Five Founders Case Study References Chapter 7: Carbon Neutrality as Business: Decoupling Growth from Emissions While Managing Climate Risks 7.1 The Role of consumers´ Food Choices in Mitigating Carbon Emissions 7.2 Consumers´ Willingness to Pay for Climate Friendly and Climate Neutral Products 7.3 Market drivers and Businesses Opportunity for Agri-Food Companies to Move Towards Lower Carbon Emissions 7.4 Barrier and Risk for Suppliers to Join the Carbon Neutral Chain 7.5 Different Development Models for Carbon Neutrality 7.5.1 Government-Driven: The French Label Bas Carbone 7.5.2 Sectoral Legislation-Driven: The ICAO Model References Chapter 8: Towards a Carbon Labelled World? 8.1 Consumers Perceptions and Use of Carbon Labelling 8.2 Carbon labels in Relation to Others Greening Themes and Labels 8.3 Carbon Labels: Does Design Matter? 8.4 How to Communicate Climate change and Products Carbon Information 8.5 The Role of retailers and Green Public Procurements (GPP) in Boosting Carbon Reduction and Carbon Neutral Labels References Conclusions and Recommendations References Index