Carbon: on track towards our target

"The latest figures show that members are well on track towards delivering our CO₂ ambition: by 2008 they had reduced their emissions by 19% compared to a 1990 baseline. We are close to meeting our target to have reduced emissions by 20% by 2010".

The latest figures from FDF's voluntary Climate Change Agreement continue to show that members are well on track towards delivering our CO₂ ambition.

By 2008, members had reduced their CO₂ emissions by 19% compared to a 1990 baseline. The results show that emissions have been reduced by the equivalent of almost one million tonnes of CO₂ since 1990. That means we are close to meeting our target to have reduced emissions by 20% by 2010 and are on a trend towards our longer term aspiration of a 30% reduction by 2020.

To support members' efforts, we have developed a webbased toolkit which contains resources and information on energy efficiency and carbon management best practice, as well as practical guidance on related topics such as the use of refrigeration gases. We will continue to develop these resources on an ongoing basis for our members.

Graph showing percentage reduction CO2 Emissions - 1990-2020

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During the year, FDF launched a newsletter to provide members with focused information to help achieve CO₂ emissions reductions and the wider aspects of the Five-fold Environmental Ambition. This newsletter ensures members are aware of the support tools and guidance provided by FDF, forthcoming events and workshops as well as key information relating to the Ambition, particularly our work on CO₂ emissions.

We also continue to work closely with The Carbon Trust to deliver programmes to help members reduce energy use and emissions in their manufacturing operations. We are now working on two projects covering sugar confectionery manufacturing and industrial bread baking under The Carbon Trust's Industrial Energy Efficiency Accelerator Programme (IEEAP). This programme aims to transform some of the traditional processes that underpin food and drink manufacturing.

Kellogg's CHP plant We support the concept of a single technical methodology for assessing greenhouse gases in products across their entire life cycle.

In 2009, FDF members continued to build on their work to identify supply chain hotspots using PAS 2050 – the standard methodology developed by BSI – and participated in work with The Carbon Trust to help develop supporting analysis and data tools.

Throughout the year under review FDF has continued its active engagement on climate change policy development, contributing to the debate on the format of new Climate Change Agreements to 2017 and the implementation of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

We also produced detailed guidance on the implementation of the new Carbon Reduction Commitment – and a support tool for members who are getting to grips with this latest piece of regulation.

Looking ahead, it is clear that 2010 will be an important year for UK climate change policy as we continue to engage with Government on the format of the new Climate Change Agreements within the framework of the UK Carbon Budgets, the UK Low Carbon Transition Plan and the outcomes of the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen.

We will continue to work with The Carbon Trust to develop focused support initiatives to help members deliver further emissions reductions through the IEEAP. We are currently working with the Combustion Engineering Association, under the auspices of The Carbon Trust, to deliver support on boiler and steam energy efficiency – an activity that accounts for about half the energy use in the food and drink manufacturing sector.

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