Supporting climate action in the food sector

Food production and consumption are significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions. The food sector has a major opportunity to promote sustainable food consumption by offering environmentally friendly choices and guiding consumer behavior. In 2024, we supported the sector’s climate efforts through a range of initiatives.

In 2024, we released an open-access climate impact dataset containing the carbon footprint data of over 1,200 raw materials. The dataset is publicly available and can be used to monitor the climate impact of raw materials, calculate the carbon footprint of meals, and design more climate-friendly food offerings. The dataset is based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which considers the climate impact of raw materials throughout their life cycle—from the production of agricultural inputs to wholesale distribution.

As the primary role of food is to provide adequate nutrition, it is essential to include nutritional quality in environmental impact assessments. We developed a method that incorporates the nutritional quality of food products into environmental comparisons. This method can be used, for example, by food services to develop meals that are both nutritionally sound and environmentally friendly.

We also created communication guidelines for food companies to support fact-based and trustworthy communication of environmental impacts. The guidelines explain what information an LCA-based environmental claim (e.g., carbon footprint claim) should include. The guidelines are aligned with current EU legislation and the forthcoming EU Green Claims Directive, which aims to regulate misleading environmental claims.

In addition, we published Food-LCA Calculation Guidelines for food sector companies to help them carry out more reliable and comparable life cycle assessments. These guidelines enhance the transparency and credibility of LCAs, support fair competition, and help consumers identify the most environmentally sustainable products.