Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Policy Position

FDF's Ambition to Cut CO₂ Emissions

FDF members are committed to an industry-wide¹ absolute target to reduce CO₂ emissions² by 35% by 2020 against a 1990 baseline³.

Delivering Our Ambition

FDF members reduced their CO2 emissions by 27% in 2011 compared to 1990. This is measured under FDF's voluntary Climate Change Agreement with the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

To support members’ efforts, FDF has worked with environmental consultants SKM-Enviros to develop a Carbon Management Best Practice Guide. It provides tips for improving the efficiency of energy using equipment such as boilers, ovens and refrigeration plants.

FDF has worked closely with the Carbon Trust on a service for FDF members which will allow companies to review and reduce energy use in food and drink refrigeration. Such technical surveys have the capability, on average, to identify refrigeration related energy savings and emissions reductions of up to 25%. FDF has also worked with the Carbon Trust on sector specific energy efficiency schemes under the Industrial Energy Efficiency Accelerator programme. To date the bakeries and sugar confectionary sectors have been involved.

FDF has also been proactive in the development of the carbon footprinting debate. In particular, we have worked closely with BSI, Carbon Trust and others on a methodology for measuring the carbon footprints of food and non-food products as a member of the Publicly Available Standard (PAS 2050) Steering Group.

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Background

Climate change is arguably the biggest single challenge facing mankind and the planet. Experts advise that the Earth is locked into a pattern of rising temperature and sea levels that is almost certainly the result of human activities⁴. The main cause is the release of greenhouse gases, such as CO₂, into the atmosphere. The climatic effect is proving extreme and unpredictable.

Tackling climate change requires everyone to play their full part – the public sector, energy suppliers, industry and private individuals alike. The UK food and drink manufacturing sector has made a very good start. It has reduced its CO₂ emissions significantly since 1990. However, given the scale of the challenge, no sector can afford to be complacent. We must all do more.

Footnote 1: Proposed in the Food Industry Sustainability Strategy published by Defra in 2006.
Footnote 2: Refers to CO₂ arising from the use of energy (from fossil fuels, gas and electricity) at food and drink manufacturing installations.
Footnote 3: Based upon a combination Dukes data published by DTI and, from 2001, data gathered under FDF's Climate Change Agreement.
Footnote 4: Source: UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

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