• About SFDF
• Policy
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• Key Issues
  • Additives
  • Allergens
  • Avian Flu
  • Better Regulation
  • Biofuels
  • Carbon Reduction
  • Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)
  • Country of Origin Labelling
  • Environment
  • Environmental Management
  • Equality Bill
  • Fairtrade
  • Food Information for Consumers
  • Food Safety - Read the Label
  • Food Safety in the Supply Chain
  • Food Security
  • Fortification of Food with Folic Acid
  • GM and Biotechnology
  • Green House Emissions
  • Guideline Daily Amounts (GDAs)
  • Imports and Exports
  • Labour in the Supply Chain
  • Nutrition and Health Claims
  • Nutrient Profiling Model
  • Obesity
  • Organic Food and Drink
  • Packaging
  • Productivity
  • Responsible Marketing
  • Rising Commodity Prices
  • Seafood Sustainability
  • Salt
  • Saturated Fat and Energy
  • Skills in the Food and Drink Sector
  • Small to Medium-Sized Enterprises
  • Sugars
  • Sustainable Palm Oil and Soy
  • Temporary Agency Workers Directive
  • Trade Liberalisation
  • Trade with UK Farmers and Growers
  • Trans Fat
  • Transport
  • Water Efficiency
  • Waste Reduction
  • Workplace Wellbeing
• Resources

Green House Emissions

Climate change is arguably the biggest single challenge facing mankind and the planet. Many experts believed the Earth is locked into a pattern of rising temperatures and sea levels that is almost certainly the result of human activities. The main cause is the release of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide (which is sometimes written as CO₂) into the atmosphere. The effect of this on our climate is proving unpredictable. Tackling climate change requires everyone to play their full part – the government, energy suppliers, companies and consumers.

UK food and drink manufacturers have a good track record when it comes to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. The industry accounts for 11% of the food chain's greenhouse gases – and FDF members for about 6% to 7% of the total. Food and drink manufacturers reduced their carbon dioxide emissions by 15.2% between 1990 and 2005 and are working to achieve more, principally through FDF's voluntary Climate Change Agreement with Defra, the government department responsible for the environment.

Overall, FDF members have committed to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 20% by 2010, compared with 1990, and are aspiring to a 30% reduction by 2020.

More Information

• FDF's Policy on CO₂ Emissions
• FDF's Five-Fold Ambitions: Cutting CO₂ emissions
• Cutting CO₂ Emissions Case Studies