Reaffirming the critical role that the food system has to play in reducing GHG emissions both in the UK and overseas.

In 2021, WRAP published the UK Food System GHG Emissions report, which provided, for the first time, a clear picture of the GHG emissions associated with the UK food system, including: how they have changed from 2015-2019, the GHG ‘hotspots’ in the UK food system, and priority areas for action in the short term to help achieve the 2030 target.

This report provides an update on the baseline and progress to date, integrating the latest available data into the UK Food System GHG Model, from the year 2020.

Main findings

  • WRAP estimates that between 2015 and 2020 there has been a 12% reduction in emissions associated with UK food and drink consumption.
  • The biggest drivers of this reduction have been in the supply chain and consumer stages, most notably in the household, retail and manufacturing sectors.
  • This is driven by a decrease in the GHG intensity of energy since 2015 and efficiency improvements.

Support for businesses

WRAP has developed a suite of resources to support businesses in measuring and reporting Scope 3 GHG emissions:

  • Scope 3 Measurement & Reporting Protocols for UK Food & Drink businesses.
  • Supplier Product Footprint Questionnaires. Recommended questions for businesses to ask supply chains when requesting data.
  • Emission Factor Database. Provides a top-level view of where the key sources of emissions are.

The Scope 3 GHG measurement and reporting protocols need to be adopted sector-wide to bring consistency and clarity to what is a complex and challenging area. Furthermore, high-impact actions will need to be taken in order to make progress towards our GHG target.

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  • Tracking UK Food System Greenhouse Gas Emissions: 2022 Update

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Tags

Initiatives

Food and drink Reducing and preventing food waste Courtauld Commitment Food Waste Reduction Roadmap Reducing greenhouse gas emissions Meat, poultry and fish Household food waste UN SDG 12.3

Sectors

Farmers and growers Hospitality and food service Manufacturers Retailers and brands