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  • Pages
  • Editions
01 Homepage
02 Foreword
03 A big emitter?
04 Big steps small footprint
05 Farming for the future
06 Net zero blueberries
07 Ahead of the curve
08 Greening coffee
09 Scale matters
10 Partnering with us
11 From beans to bar
12 Job opportunities
13 Explore more
14 What's up next

A BIG EMITTER?


Total GHG emissions from agri-food systems

in CO2eq per year (2019)


The broader agri-food system is a significant contributor to climate change and it is also one of the economic sectors most vulnerable to its impacts. Greenhouse gas emissions generated throughout the agri-food system supply chains account for up to one-third of all anthropogenic emissions worldwide. Taking this broader perspective on the food system opens up opportunities to develop mitigation strategies that cover the entire system.


Source: F. N. Tubiello et al (2022) Pre- and post-production processes increasingly dominate greenhouse gas emissions from agri-food systems



±%

Global emissions are generated by the broader agri-food system


Farm Gate


%

of emissions come primarily from crop and livestock production activities that occur within the farm gate

Land Use


%

of emissions come from the conversion of natural ecosystems to agriculture, such as deforestation and peatland degradation

Pre- and post- production


%

of emissions come from processes like energy use in fertilizer manufacturing, food processing, packaging, transport, retail, household consumption, and waste disposal

During the study period of 1990 to 2020, there was a total increase of 17% in agri-food system emissions. However, since approximately 2006, these emissions have remained relatively stable (see chart below). This overall trend was mainly influenced by a twofold rise in emissions from pre- and post-production processes, while land use emissions experienced a 25% decrease, and emissions at the farm gate only increased by 9%.