Carbon Offsetting
In New Zealand our major source of emissions is our agricultural sector. In fact it is responsible for 48% of our gross emissions.
“Between 1990 and 2019, emissions from the Agriculture sector increased by 17.1 per cent. This is primarily due to an 82.0 per cent increase in the national dairy herd since 1990 and an increase in the application of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser of 662.7 per cent since 1990.”(1)
We visualise a New Zealand agricultural sector that is diverse and regenerative leading to rural communities and our collective environment thriving. A low emissions sector that is truly world leading in the 21st century.
A key part of that vision is plant-based food products. And as you probably guessed...oats.
The great thing about plants is that they do not fart, burp, wee, or poo emissions. In fact they suck in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (sequester) to grow and produce the things we eat. So it goes without saying if we can replace a significant number of the millions of dairy cows we have in New Zealand with plant-based alternatives we will start to see the reductions in emissions we need to achieve.
But on farm emissions are not the end of the equation. As with any product, we need to make it, package it and transport it. All of these processes currently release GHG’s. To help us better understand our footprint we engaged with Ekos to map our emission and provide us the detail of where our emissions are coming from.
Our total emissions for the 2021 financial year (01.04.2020 – 31.03.2021) were 519.55 tCO2e.
Our total emissions for the 2022 financial year (01.04.2021 – 31.03.2022 ) were 1,038.73 tCO2e.
Our total emissions for the 2022 financial year (01.04.2022 – 31.03.2023 ) were 1,279.29 tCO2e.
We have offset these emissions by 120% through purchasing verified carbon credits from Ekos’s carbon offset projects including Golden Bay’s Kānuka Hill - Uruwhenua native regeneration project, and Fiji’s Drawa rainforest conservation project.
To read our yearly offset reporting click below:
Carbon Reduction Plan
Part of being in business for good, and part of our Climate Positive Business Operations certification requirements, we produced our carbon reduction plan. You can read it in detail the Full Report Here.
The headline is that we have set ourselves the goal of reducing our emissions intensity (how many emissions we release per litre of milk we produce) by 50% in 3 years. So from 0.849 kgsCO2e / L in the 2021 financial year to 0.425 kgsCO2e / L in the 2024 financial year.
The good news is we are well on track to achieve this, with our NZ manufacturing plant coming online shortly, our total emissions will reduce significantly.
(1). Ministry for the Environment
https://environment.govt.nz/publications/new-zealands-greenhouse-gas-inventory-1990-2019-snapshot/emissions-trends-by-sector/
(2). Toitu New Zealand
https://www.toitu.co.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/220922/Disclosure_1819_Fonterra_Enriched_Milk_CZ_Prod.pdf