Start
November 14, 2023 - 14:00
End
November 14, 2023 - 16:00
The role of climate-neutral products in sustainability for food systems
14 November 2023
14.00-16.00 CET
European Parliament – ASP 1H1
The EU Code of conduct on responsible food business and marketing practices, launched by the EU Commission in 2021, is a landmark in the journey towards making our food system in Europe more sustainable. One of the aspirational goals of the Code of Conduct for instance is to reach a climate neutral food chain in Europe by 2050. With 134 signatories and 488 commitments to date, one of the Code’s key contribution is the acceleration of projects and initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the operations of many of the large as well as small and medium sized companies who co-signed the Code.
This is a welcome prioritization since it is urgently needed that, in Europe, we change the way we produce, buy, and consume food and drinks – because the emissions from the agri-food sector, measured from farm to fork, make up an estimated 30% of total carbon emissions in the EU. The manufacturing process accounts for about a tenth of these emissions. Farming, food, and drinks are what sustains human life, so we can’t do without it – and the war in Ukraine has reminded us about the need to boost EU’s strategic autonomy in food and fertilizers. So, the challenge is huge. The food chain is very large, diverse, and heterogenous, which makes decarbonizing production and consumption a more difficult journey than in other sectors.
Still, there is a lot of potential for decreasing emissions in the sector (from raw material sourcing, to change of feedstock, or sustainability labelling to better inform consumers). Initiatives across the whole value chain and public-private partnerships will both be needed to reach net-zero in 2050 – this is what the speakers of this event will talk about.
- What is the appetite of European consumers for sustainable food? Are there differences across the Union and how can those be tackled through voluntary or regulatory initiatives?
- How can the risks and costs of decarbonizing production be shared across the whole value chain so that it’s not only farmers who are bearing all the weight of the transformation?
- Which synergies can be created between reduction of GHG emissions and carbon sequestration?
The different speakers of this event will shed light on these questions and share their views on how to solve the challenges described above.
Hosting MEPs:
Ms. Irène Tolleret – EFF Chair
Mr. Pietro Fiocchi
Mr. Petros Kokkalis
Moderator:
Tiffanie Stephani – VP, European Government Relations & External Communications – Yara International
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