The Carbon Footprint in Agricultural Trade
With trade increasing in all sectors of the global economy the focus on the effects of global warming as a result of the increased manufacturing and movement of goods has taken a forefront in discussions about the sustainability and viability of the trade. Global warming is an ongoing phenomenon that has been accelerated in recent times due to increased levels of CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere resulting from development and industrialization over the last century.
In the last two years focus on carbon emissions arising from transporting agricultural produce around the world from production areas to markets, and in particular by air, has created a lot of debate. Food miles are loosely defined as the distance fresh produce and flowers travel from source to market. This is a very simple definition and needs to be refined to include the complete supply chain from procurement of the seed and planting material through to the eventual consumption and disposal of the food. DEFRA released figures in 2007 that shows carbon dioxide levels are increasing more rapidly than ever and that the UK food transport industry emitted 18m tons of carbon dioxide. A recent study on contributions to UK food transport has showed that airfreight contributes 10 per cent of the CO2 emissions while heavy goods vehicles were responsible for over 57 per cent. (AEA Technology, 2005). Further data available also shows that CO2 emissions from shipping are more than double that of airfreight (The Guardian, 2008).
With the global population set to hit eight billion by 2025 and just over nine billion people by 2050 (UN) the amount of food that will have to be produced and moved around the world annually will continue to increase. The debate on food miles needs to be expanded to not just include road and sea transport but to look at the total carbon emissions through the supply chain and evaluate how to reduce these at each stage of the chain to achieve a carbon neutral rating
The drive to eat locally grown produce and to not eat out of season produce is neither realistic nor practical. The demographics in the world have changed and a practical approach needs to be arrived at that ensures agricultural produce is grown in the most suitable climates, without subsidies and as efficiently as possible with a goal to ensure that the total carbon emissions are significantly reduced from the current levels.