…the important point is that we are highly likely to need both technological and behavioural change to achieve reductions of this magnitude – and help avoid dangerous climate change.

From the report: How low can we go? An assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from the UK food system and the scope for reduction by 2050.

When it comes to environmental impacts, the usual suspects have been mobility (the way we get around) and energy (the way we heat and light our buildings). However, there’s an equally significant actor in the creation of greenhouse gases: food. Some 20% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to what we put on our plates.

The UK has its own legally-binding targets to reduce production emissions by 80% by 2050 under the Climate Change Act. In order to make a proportional contribution to these reductions, and taking into account the fact that we need to continue to eat, WWF-UK and the Food Climate Research Network (FCRN) suggest food-related emissions need to be cut by 70% by 2050. Achieving this is highly likely to require significant changes throughout the UK food system – from production and processing to cooking, the kinds of food we eat and what and how much we throw away.

The aim of this study was thus to determine the feasibility of a 70% cut, where in the food chain cuts could be made, and by how much. In addition, the work estimated the emissions arising from direct and indirect land use change attributable to UK food consumption. This was done by calculating how much land, including forest, is converted annually to agriculture and the CO2 emissions that arise from this process, and attributing an appropriate amount of these emissions to UK food consumption.

As such, this study provides the most accurate inventory of greenhouse gases attributable to UK food consumption to date: the results were striking – and disturbing. As stated above, direct emissions from the UK food chain are estimated to be about 20% of the UK’s total consumption emissions. However, according the method and assumptions used in the study, including the emissions attributable to direct and indirect land use change lifts the proportion of UK consumption emissions attributable to food from 20% to 30% of all UK emissions – or from 152MtCO2 to 253MtCO2. Reducing emissions from food will thus be key to tackling climate change.

This study investigated a range of approaches to making the cuts, constructing three broad thematic scenarios:

The first was an energy-based scenario in which the focus was on (a) the decarbonisation of non-mobile processes, such as food processing, cooking and refrigeration and (b) the decarbonisation of energy used in transport. The result? Cuts of some 57% by 2050. Not enough.

The second was an emissions-led scenario which centred on (a) reductions in direct GHG emissions, such as methane from cows and sheep and nitrous oxide from fertilisers and (b) improved production efficiency, including increased crop yields and improved livestock genetics. The result? Cuts of some 55% by 2050. Again: not enough.

The final scenario considered (a) conservation, through waste avoidance and using wasted food to generate energy and (b) changes to consumption patterns in the UK. The result? Cuts of some 60%. Getting there, but still not enough.

Visit the website for the abstract or full report.

Image: vicfan via flickr CC

Vancouver, British Columbia, has the lowest per capita greenhouse gas emissions of any major city in North America and is on target to meet or exceed Kyoto Agreement targets, Mayor Gregor Robertson said. The announcement came December 10, 2009, as the Mayor prepared to leave for the Climate Summit for Mayors in Copenhagen, Denmark. New statistics show the development of energy efficient buildings, increased use of public transit, walking and cycling as well as innovative projects like creating heat and electricity from methane gas captured from the City’s landfill have all contributed to greenhouse gas (GHG) levels last seen in 1990.

“Vancouver continues to show leadership in Canada and North America on greenhouse gas reductions,” the Mayor said. “By making smart decisions for our future, whether it’s the many energy efficient features of the Olympic Village project, our approach to land-use planning, or the city’s transportation options, we are going to meet our Kyoto targets and in the process set the standard for major North American cities.”

Vancouver GHG emissions have been reduced by 11 per cent from their peak in 2000 to 2.7 million tonnes per year. The city is on track to meet Kyoto targets for 2012 of 2.5 million tonnes. Vancouver’s drop in GHG levels is concurrent with a 27 per cent population increase since 1990 and an 18 per cent growth in employment since 1991.

The conventional wisdom is you can’t reduce emissions with a growing population and economy.

The City of Vancouver has also reduced emissions from its own operations by 33 per cent through initiatives such as building retrofits, construction of significantly more efficient buildings and improved use of Smart cars and other fuel-efficient vehicles. The City has recently partnered with BC Hydro and Pulse Energy, a Vancouver-based company that develops real-time energy-use monitoring systems, to monitor and analyze the energy performance of a cross section of the City’s largest buildings, including the downtown library and City Hall. On Monday, the City of Vancouver also signed a memorandum of understanding with BC Hydro to develop neighbourhood renewable district energy systems, build a charging network for electric vehicles, create financing tools to enable profitable investment in building energy retrofits and undertake joint long-term planning of energy infrastructure.

“Our partnership with the City of Vancouver helps us toward our goal of meeting 50 per cent of new electricity demand through conservation by 2020,” said Bev Van Ruyven, executive vice-president, Customer Care & Conservation, BC Hydro. “I applaud the City for its leadership in sustainability and conservation and am pleased that BC Hydro’s Power Smart programs are playing a key role in helping the City progress towards its green goals.” “Pulse Energy is pleased to be working with the City of Vancouver and BC Hydro to bring intelligent energy management to buildings in Vancouver,” said David Helliwell, Pulse Energy co-founder. “Vancouver is establishing a leadership position as a Green Capital by working with cleantech companies like Pulse Energy. The City of Vancouver will benefit from substantial energy savings through Pulse Energy’s ability to identify energy wasting anomalies and reduce energy use by 10 to 20 per cent.”

“With our goal of becoming the world’s greenest city, we need to keep pursuing GHG reductions and energy conservation throughout the city,” Mayor Robertson said. “We’re making progress, but attaining this goal will require more action and innovation. This is why we have partnered with BC Hydro and Pulse Energy to use energy management software and find ways to gain efficiencies in our largest buildings. Working with these partners will help move Vancouver closer to our goal.”

“Solar-powered sails the size of a jumbo jet’s wings will be fitted to cargo ships, after a Sydney renewable energy company signed a deal with China’s biggest shipping line. The Chatswood-based Solar Sailor group has designed the sails, which can be retro-fitted to existing tankers. The aluminium sails, 30 metres long and covered with photovoltaic panels, harness the wind to cut fuel costs by between 20 and 40 per cent, and use the sun to meet five per cent of a ship’s energy needs. China’s COSCO bulk carrier will fit the wings to a tanker ship and a bulker ship under a memorandum of understanding with the Australian company, which demonstrates the technology on a Sydney Harbour cruise boat. ‘It’s hard to predict a time line but at some point in the future, I can see all ships using solar sails – it’s inevitable’, said the company’s chief executive, Dr Robert Dane. Once fitted, the sails can pay for themselves in fuel savings within four years, Dr Dane said. They don’t require special training to operate, with a computer linked in to a ship’s existing navigation system, and sensors automatically angling the sails to catch a breeze and help vessels along.”
Ref: Ben Cubby, SMH, 28/10/08

“The British Government has agreed to include aviation and shipping in a law setting targets to cut greenhouse gases. An amendment to climate change legislation tabled by ministers will compel the independent Climate Change Committee to take emissions from planes and tankers into account when it calculates carbon budgets, after more than 50 Labor MPs demanded the legislation be changed.”
Ref: ABC News, 29/10/08