Reducing CO2 emissions should not be the only battle horse in an effort to limit global warming. Methane also has part of the responsibility. And that is why the Dutch company Upfield has decided to make public the share of this greenhouse gas generated by its production chains.
We are used to talking about CO2 when it comes to talking about global warming and explaining what aspect we need to act on to change the situation. However, there is not just one greenhouse gas. There is also methane. If carbon dioxide is held in the atmosphere much longer, the second, which remains there for only a dozen years, turns out to be much more potent.
The subject was discussed at COP26 last November. According to the Dutch giant Upfield, the requested pledges mainly related to the petroleum and oil industry. According to the company, which has made margarine such as the ProActiv brand its specialty, agriculture and agri-food also play a role.
7.5% of the company’s total greenhouse gases
Upfield has therefore decided to lead by example. The company, which is present in 95 countries, has teamed up with data experts to develop a methodology to calculate the methane emissions generated by production. We then discover that methane accounts for 7.5% of the company’s total greenhouse gas emissions† Dairy products in particular account for 8% of Upfield’s carbon footprint, while this category only accounts for 1% of the Dutch company’s ingredients by weight. At the same time, dairy products are responsible for 63% of the company’s methane emissions. That’s why this agri-food giant has set itself the goal of eliminating milk-based foods from its supply chains.
Emulators from other agri-food producers?
All data is voluntarily disclosed on a dedicated platform. By making these results public, Upfiled hopes that other food manufacturers will take responsibility for their methane emissions. The company wants to encourage them to follow suit and publish their carbon footprint.
According to a United Nations report, methane emissions should be cut by 45% by 2030 to hope global warming does not increase by 1.5°C.
(ETX Daily Up)