The race to net zero - we need to pick up the pace.
The term ‘net zero’ describes the aspiration of companies, countries, individuals, and organisations, to balance greenhouse gas emissions with greenhouse gas savings, so that the overall net greenhouse gas output comes to zero.[1] Reaching net zero is an ambitious goal, made in the hope that the effects of climate change can be slowed before they become irreversible. To maintain the Earth’s climate, preserve biodiversity, and prevent extreme weather occurrences, global temperature rise must be limited to 1.5°C above pre-industrial temperatures. To achieve this, greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by 45% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.[2] In an economy based on high and fast levels of production and consumption, net zero goals must become a mainstream, simple, and achievable practice, to make the crucially needed impact on climate change.
2To this end, businesses have been encouraged to implement science-based targets based on the Paris Agreement commitments, so that companies’ progress towards net zero can be more easily measured and monitored. The independent Science Based Targets initiative was jointly created by the Customer Data Platform, United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute, and the World Wildlife Fund, to provide companies with scientific advice on which they create their net zero goals, with the aim of achieving global warming limitations.[3]
To meet the SBTis Net-Zero Standard companies must present net-zero plans that cover a number of intensive criteria. Firstly, plans must demonstrate ‘rapid, deep cuts to value-chain emissions,’ to ensure that plans are put into action in the present, rather than remaining a far-off-future target. Companies must set both short and long-term goals, so that imperative cuts to greenhouse gasses occur quickly to slow further climate change, and so that the infrastructure to meet long-term complete net-zero goals can be put in place. The SBTi also clarifies that companies cannot claim to be ‘net-zero,’ until they have met their long-term target, which usually entails cutting emissions by 90-95% by 2050. Companies are also encouraged to look beyond their own environmental impact and invest climate-change action in addition to mitigating their own climate impact.[4]
Food production is responsible for about 37% of global CO2 emissions.[5] According to data sourced from the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, it uses 50% of the Earths habitable land, and is responsible for 69% of global water consumption, making it responsible for the largest proportion of land and water resource use.[6] Agricultural expansion to support a growing demand for food causes almost 90% of global deforestation, and the vast majority of biodiversity loss.[7] Evidently, the environmental impact of the food industry cannot be overlooked. The Food and Drink federation has announced the target of reaching net zero by 2040 on behalf of the food and beverage sector, however meeting this target is obviously dependent on individual companies making and meeting their own net zero goals.[8]
For a net zero target to be considered credible, it is vital that businesses take note of greenhouse gas emissions across their value chains. This means taking responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions that occur as a direct consequence of the businesses actions (Scope 1), those that occur as an indirect result of company activity (Scope 2), and those that occur within the companies supply chain (Scope 3).[9]
It is time for food companies to think outside the box and find innovative solutions to their greenhouse gas problems, lest we lose the race to net zero.
[1] The Economist, What is Net Zero? (2021).
[2] UN, For a livable climate: Net-Zero commitments must be backed by credible action, (2022).
[3] MyClimate, What are Science-Based Targets?,
[4] Science Based Targets, The Net-Zero Standard, (2021)
[5] New Scientist, Food production emissions make up more than a third of global total, (2021).
[6] Our World in Data, Half of the worlds habitable land is used for agriculture, (2019). UN Food and Agriculture Association, Global Water Information System, (2014).
[7] UN Food And Agriculture Association, Remote Sensing Survey, (2020). IPBES, Summary for policymakers of the global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services, (2019).
[8] Michelle Perrett: Food Manufacture, How are food manufacturers working towards net zero?, (2022)