A life-cycle approach to measuring the sustainability of New Zealands primary production: a carbon footprint of beef/sheepAmlie Goldberg, MEnvStudSchool of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences

Presentation OutlinePurpose and Background Aims and Objectives Literature Review Methodology Next stepsResearch Implications

Background Trade liberalisation and globalisationLengthening supply chains & big box retailFood miles concerns in UK/ USAInternalising externalities through reducing information asymmetriesThreat or opportunity for New Zealand?

PurposeConsumer ability to make better choicesEncourage foresight in the agro-food sector Producer knowledge and information for responding to international concernsEnvironmental qualityClimate change mitigationShort - term outcomesLong - term outcomes

AimHow well are carbon emissions of the beef/sheep sector managed, from production through to consumption? What are the opportunities and threats that arise from accounting for carbon in the agro-food sector?

ObjectivesCreate a carbon footprint of sheep or beef produced and consumed in New ZealandCompare footprints among farms and categories of farms (e.g. conventional, organic and integrated)Establish whether comparable profiles exist in the UK, and if so, how they differExplore the perceptions of the agro-food sector and the public service about the opportunities and threats to NZ.

Literature Review 1: International PolicyCarbonUK and Carbon TrustTesco carbon labelling of foodGHG accounting worldwide

Literature Review 2: New Zealand ContextPatterson 1984: top-down approachWells 2001: on-farm productionSaunders et al. 2006: UK focus (food miles)Stancu & Smith 2007: sectors environmental knowledge Information gap in the literature: no complete carbon footprint exists

MethodologyMixed methods: quantitative and qualitativeMethod A: construct a carbon footprint of beef/sheepMethod B: comparison with UK & NZ studies Method C: perceptions of carbon footprints through semi-structured interviews

Methodology: Method A (Objectives 1-2)Objectives 1 and 2: create a carbon footprint of beef/sheep meat for comparison and evaluationMethod 1: a life cycle assessment (LCA) focusing on energy and carbon emissions, using a case study with a meat exporter and ~ 35 farms (conventional, organic, and integrated management practices).

Method A: Carbon Footprint Energy and carbon focused life cycle assessment (LCA) An extension of GHG inventory and accounting systemsApplying Wells (2001) methodologyISO 14040 & 14044: Framework and Guidelines (internationally recognised)

ISO 14040 Life Cycle Assessment Framework

Goal and

scope definition

Impact assessment

Inventory analysis

Interpretation

Direct applications:

Product development and improvement

Strategic planning

Public policy making

Marketing

Benchmarking

Eco-labels and product declarations

LCA of a Food SystemAdapted from Patterson (1984)

Production

Processing/

Packaging

Wholesale

Retail /Export

Household

International markets

Key

Road/rail freight energy

Energy in shipping

Energy in process

Method B: Literature Review (Obj. 2-3)Review similar studies in t the UK and New ZealandEstablish whether comparable profiles have been developedAnalyse how these profiles differ

Methodology: Method C (Obj. 4)Undertake semi-structured interviews with: key informants in the beef/sheep supply chain, including freight operators and retail associationsgovernment officials from different ministries responsible for sustainable agriculture and trade issues.

Next stepsDoing the Fieldwork!Interviewee recruitmentMethodological issuesUse of software? SimaPro, GaBICombination of bottom-up and top-down data sources?Difficulty in obtaining data: freight (tonne km of product movements), retail and consumer food shopping patterns

Research ImplicationsFills research gaps, especially once products have left farm gate - to NZ consumers plateAlthough New Zealand production systems may be more carbon efficient than the UK, there is a risk to New Zealand exports if we do not account for emissions (in part due to UK media)NZ agro-food sector needs to show leadership and foresight in managing their environmental reputation - such as through carbon footprints

Research ImplicationsStimulate discussion on NZ food miles and how supply chains, delivery patterns & shopping behaviour can be modified to decarbonise our food systemsCreating footprints enables:NZ agro-food sector to respond to information requests from international marketsConsumers to vote with their $ and choose low-carbon products - through carbon labelling

ReferencesBarber, A., & Pellow, G. (2005). Energy use and efficiency measures for the New Zealand dairy farming industry: Prepared by AgriLink New Zealand for the Climate Change Office.Bolland, J., Weir, D., & Vincent, M. (2005). Development of a New Zealand national freight matrix (No. 283 Land Transport New Zealand Research Report). Wellington: Booz Allen Hamilton (NZ) Ltd.Cavana, R. Y., Harrison, I. G., Heffernan, F. E. B., & Kissling, C. C. (1997). Freight transport in New Zealand - Working Paper 2/97. Wellington: Graduate School of Business and Government Management, Victoria University of Wellington.Fuels & Energy Management Group. (2000). Road transport sector energy demand and CO2 output - projections and analysis of reduction strategies. Wellington: Ministry of Transport.Lovell-Smith, J. E. R., & Baldwin, A. J. (1988). Energy trends in the New Zealand diary industry. New Zealand Journal of Diary Science and Technology, 23, 239-255.Patterson, M. G. (1984). Energy use in the New Zealand Food System. Energy in Agriculture, 3, 289-304.Saunders, C., Barber, A., & Taylor, G. (2006). Food Miles- Comparative Energy/Emissions Performance of New Zealand's Agriculture Industry: Lincoln University.Smith, A., Watkiss, P., Tweedle, G., McKinnon, A., Hunt, A., Trevelen, C., et al. (2005). The Validity of Food Miles as an Indicator of Sustainable Development: DEFRA.Stancu, C., & Smith, A. (2007, Feb 21-23). Making sustainable links: the well-being of NZ exports in a changing climate. Paper presented at the 2nd International Conference of Sustainability and Engineering Science, Auckland, NZ.Wells, C. (2001). Total energy indicators of agricultural sustainability: dairy farming case study: University of Otago.

Questions?

Feel free to me send your feedback or comments:amelie.goldberg@gmail.com

*Action notesInterl competitiveness is threatened and show that the ag sector -and jobsPhotos of the add

****Evaluate the carbon management of New Zealands primary produce from farm gate to plate***Pattersons contextNo existing study has done a full carbon footprint within NZ, i.e. including consumption in New ZealandNeed to fill the gaps in freight, retailing and consumer transport related emissions***Difference with LCA is that it takes all steps into account - not just ******Bc the media in the UK is fuelling food miles, but also because worldwide, we need to increase our efforts to be more energy efficient, and reduce fossil fuel consumption***