Reducing your greenhouse gas emissions

Climate change is one of the most urgent challenges of our time, and society and businesses are looking for ways to define the contours of a sustainable world.

More and more companies are setting targets to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions related to their own activities and their value chain. Over 3.500 companies committed to GHG reduction targets aligned with the Paris Agreement within the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi). Currently, this is causing a strong pull for (footprint) data in the supply chain, requiring suppliers to set-up carbon footprint management and develop decarbonization pathways.

To develop a GHG value chain emission reduction target and action plan, a thorough understanding of key drivers and leverage points in the value chain is necessary. Typically for actors in the food production value chain, primary agro production is one of the most important contributors to their value chain footprint. Blonk has years of experience in footprint analysis of the agri-food value chain and understands the variability, can identify hot-spots and drivers for change. We have performed multiple footprint analyses for solution providers in cultivation, feed (additive) production, animal farm, plant-based products, food production and retail, gaining insights in footprint reduction potential through innovation. Through these projects we’ve developed a complete database of solutions which can be implemented by organizations who want to reduce their value chain emission.

Reduce your (value chain) footprint

As the leading consultancy agency for quantifying sustainability in the agri-food sector, Blonk can help your organization set the (SBTi) targets and reduce your GHG value chain emissions. Our stepwise approach includes:

1. Inventorying GHG emissions
2. Identifying GHG reduction potential
3. Developing reduction targets & decarbonization pathways
4. Setting-up carbon footprint monitoring & engaging suppliers

GHG emission scope 1, 2 and 3 inventory

The first step in GHG target setting and emission reduction is an inventory of current GHG emission through the entire value chain. The international GHG protocol has been designed to support this inventory of emissions and distinguishes between scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. Scope 1 and 2 emissions are the direct emissions arising from your organization's activities, such as fuel combustion, transport vehicles, and purchased energy. Gathering data for these emissions is relatively straightforward. It contrast, it is far more challenging to compile an inventory of scope 3 emissions because this requires data from other actors in the supply chain.

For most companies in the agri-food sector, scope 3 emissions significantly contribute to their environmental impact.

The first time you perform your scope 3 GHG inventory, you can use default data from a database (for example production of your ingredients) as primary data from supplier will probably not be available yet. This kind of scope 3 scan is more efficient and less detailed to a full Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) or GHG protocol compliant report. A fully ISO compliant Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) or GHG protocol compliant report requires more extensive data collection, modelling, and reporting.

Blonk has more than 20 years of experience quantifying emissions in agri-food value chains. We understand the key drivers for GHG emissions and can identify leverage points for system interventions to reduce GHG emissions. An internal database with solutions providers is available to identify potential reduction measures.

Also, potential impact of carbon removals can be identified. Regenerative agriculture practices can, for example, sequester carbon in soils. We follow ongoing developments in the definition of an internationally accepted methodology for quantification and accounting of carbon removals. We make a complete inventory of GHG reduction measurements (see figure 2. Example reduction plan for meat products).

Develop reduction plan & decarbonization pathways

When assessing reduction measures, we also assess other important factors for implementation in your business model as investments, operation costs, availability, scalability, and methodology robustness. We can also assess the impact on other environmental impacts like land occupation, water consumption, eutrophication, and fine particulate matter formation or biodiversity to make sure environmental trade-offs can be identified.

Based on this assessment, short-, medium- and long-term actions can be categorized. Together with the client we develop decarbonization pathways aligned with the (SBTi) requirements. Within the SBTi framework, companies in the food production value chain need to set targets for FLAG and non-FLAG emissions. Forest, Land, and Agriculture (FLAG) related emissions includes GHG emission form cultivation and animal husbandry, CO₂ emissions associated with land use change (LUC) and emissions from land management.

Depending on your ambition, we can develop near-term targets (<10 years) in line with SBTi and long-term net-zero targets.

We will give recommendations for actions that can be taken now, and we can connect you with our industry partners who offer those carbon footprint solutions.  

Set-up carbon footprint monitoring & engage suppliers

To track your emissions over time and monitor progress, it is necessary to manage your GHG emission data. When setting up your first scope 3 inventory, it is likely that much of your upstream footprint data will be based on default databases (like Agri-footprint). In the end you will need improved footprint data from your supply chain to be able to monitor progress (within the SBTi framework, it is permitted to first engage your suppliers before setting a concrete scope 3 target). Blonk can assist you in this data collection process. We offer tools, consultancy support and capacity building to facilitate this process, safeguarding a consistent approach for data collection and footprint modelling with your suppliers.

Footprint reduction solution provider

As a solution provider, you understand the urgency of climate change and offer solutions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the agri-food sector. Whether the solutions apply to cultivation, animal husbandry, transport, retail or any other stage in the agri-food value chain, we can help to quantify the environmental impact of your solutions.

Impact assessment of solution

In the assessment of GHG savings related to your solution, we will quantify all expected changes of the application of your solution according to a ‘consequential’ Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This is a system modelling approach in which we identify all relevant changes in a production system.

We consider emissions related to the production of the solution (for example, raw materials and energy required to produce a dairy feed additive) and emission reduction related to the implementation of the solution (for example, reduced enteric methane emissions from the use of a dairy feed additive). The latter is done by comparing a baseline, or current scenario, with the situation where the solution is implemented.

In the solution impact assessment, an approach will be taken which is tailored to the available data and type of solution. We include other relevant environmental impact indicators for food production, like land occupation and water consumption, to identify environmental trade-offs. In general, the main project steps would be the following:

Connection to parties reducing their footprint

Reducing GHG emissions for individual farms, producers, retailers or other parties in the value chain, is not a ‘one size fits all’ operation: the effectiveness and suitability of solutions depend on the specific context. For this reason, we offer tailored advice to companies that aim to reduce their GHG emissions. Once the impact of your solution(s) has been quantified, we can include your product in our portfolio of emission reduction solutions, which could be applied in organizations that want to reduce emissions in their value chain.

Why quantify the solutions effectiveness?

Investigating the impact of your solution has many advantages. It is an opportunity to gain additional insights about your solution, identify improvement areas and increase market value.

20+ years of experience in quantifying emissions

We have more than 20 years of experience quantifying emissions in agri-food value chains. We developed Agri-footprint, the leading database for high-quality environmental footprint data of agri-food products. Also, we developed a European Farm to Fork database containing the environmental impact of more than 160 consumer food products, such as cheese, sauces, instant coffee, fruits, chocolate, pasta, ready-to-eat soups, and prepared salad mixes. We have an in-house software tool development team that can collect data and develop environmental footprinting tools.

We supported an array of companies set up their scope 1, 2, and 3 carbon footprint inventory and reduction plan or assisted in their SBTi application. We are happy to help you analyse your scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, set up your sustainability targets, and develop supplier engagement programs together.