Keeping plant pests out by profiling geographical areas at risk
When new plant pests like insects, fungi, bacteria and viruses arrive in Europe they threaten our local plants and our biodiversity. Climate suitability analysis is a tool to assess the likelihood of this happening to help decision-makers keep them out. How does it work?
Global distribution of pests
We collect data on the global geographical distribution of specific pests and their biology, including the effects of climatic actors such as temperature, humidity and precipitation.
Data analysis
We analyse the data collected using mathematical models and climate indicators. These help to assess whether there are areas with climates suitable for the development of plant pests.
Risk assessment
The analysis is used to assess the likelihood of pests establishing and thriving in particular areas, taking into account both climatic suitability and the presence of host plants. The results help to determine where the pest could have an impact and where pest management efforts should be focused.
As part of its work on plant health, EFSA carries out pest categorisation and risk assessment, evaluates climate and habitat suitability, develops surveillance tools, and performs other technical tasks to support the European Commission, the European Parliament, and EU Member States.
(Photo: EFSA)
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) has announced an investment in Pipeline Organics, a climate tech startup hoping to revolutionise the generation of clean and renewable energy.
Pipeline Organics’ technology uses advanced chemistry and manufacturing processes to convert sugar-rich wastewater into a continuous supply of renewable electricity.
This breakthrough technology has the potential to power essential processes across CCEP’s sites, from lighting to powering production lines.
CCEP aims to scale this innovative technology by providing Pipeline Organics with access to its sites where the technology can be trialled, using the sugar-rich wastewater that is created as a by-product of drinks manufacturing.
CCEP has been steadily progressing towards its renewable electricity goals, with renewable electricity already used in 78% of its operations in 2023. By investing in breakthrough solutions like Pipeline Organics, CCEP aims to accelerate the adoption of clean energy technologies and drive positive change in the industry.
The climate impact of food is important to Europeans. Three out of five consumers consider climate impact when buying food according to a new survey by Yara.
Yara International announced the findings in a new European survey on sustainable food conducted by leading international market research company IPSOS on behalf of Yara. The report provides an overview of consumer purchasing habits and sustainable food preferences.
“The report shows that Europeans are highly motivated to buy sustainable food to reduce their climate impact. This should be a wake-up call to the entire food industry,” says Birgitte Holter, VP of Green Fertilisers at Yara. “While three out of five Europeans find the climate impact important when buying food, a majority feel it is not easy enough to understand available information about the climate emission to be able to make sustainable choices. More than three out of four consumers would prefer to be able to read the carbon footprint on the food item,” Holter says.
The world’s food production accounts for more than a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions. This new report shows that 58 % of Europeans consider the climate impact important when buying food and beverages. In addition, 51 % of Europeans are willing to pay more for fossil free food items, meaning food produced without fossil sources. However, most people feel that it is not easy to know which food is climate friendly, as 76 % of Europeans would like the carbon footprint to be visible on the food label.
“Decarbonisation of food is possible and that is why we are developing green fertilisers made from water and air using renewable energy, to support farmers and food companies in reducing their climate impact of their food. These voluntary choices must be supported by adequate policies. The EU’s Sustainable Food System initiative, planned for the end of 2023, should therefore create a set of incentives for food systems’ actors to go beyond the minimum requirements and favor low-carbon footprint solutions such as green fertilisers,” says Holter.
In Porsgrunn, Norway, Yara is building the first production plant to run on renewable energy. From here, Yara will produce green fertilisers made without the use of fossil energy or fossil sources. This will result in crops with an up to 30 % lower carbon footprint and up to 20 % carbon footprint reduction in the food produced, making them a powerful solution to grow a decarbonised and fossil free food future. The first green fertilisers are planned to enter production in the second half of 2023.
The market demand for food made without fossil energy sources is high. More than half of Europeans (51 %) said they are willing to pay more for climate friendly food. A clear majority of Europeans (74 %) say food companies need to work to reduce the emissions from their food production.
Key findings in this survey:
58 % of Europeans consider the climate impact important when buying food and beverage items
69 % of Europeans would choose a climate friendlier food item versus a cheaper option. (26 % would choose a fossil free food item, 43 % would choose a low-carbon item)
51 % of Europeans say they are willing to pay more for food made without fossil fuel sources
31 % of Europeans already make sustainable choices when it comes to their buying habits
More than three out of four (76 %) Europeans want to see the carbon footprint of food items on the label
Nearly three out of four Europeans (74 %) believe food companies should work to reduce emissions in their food production
About the survey The survey on the need for sustainable food was commissioned by Yara International and conducted by IPSOS. The panel consisted of 12,000 consumer respondents in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Poland, Romania, Turkey, Norway, Sweden and Denmark (1,000 respondents in each country). The data was collected from online interviews during the period of December 1 – 14, 2022.
Consumer fears over climate change have escalated around the globe over the last year. According to new research from the 2022 Mintel Consulting Sustainability Barometer, the number of global consumers citing climate change as a top three environmental concern has risen from an average of 39 % to 46 % between 2021-22*.
In addition to climate change, concern over water shortages (up from 27 % in 2021 to 31 % in 2022) and food shortages (up from 17 % to 23 %) have made the most significant gains in terms of environmental priorities in the past 12 months as extreme weather events and the conflict in Ukraine make these troubling realities more commonplace.
Climate change remains the world’s highest environmental priority with nearly half (46 %) of consumers globally citing it among their top three concerns. Air quality (eg exhaust fumes, industrial emissions) (36 %) and plastic pollution (eg ocean plastic) (33 %) complete the world’s top three environmental concerns; however, concerns about plastic pollution are down slightly from 36 % in 2021.
Growing awareness is evident as just under three in five (58 %) consumers globally agree that extreme weather events (eg flooding, heatwaves) in the country where they live encourage them to personally do more activities to protect the environment. And it seems helping the planet brings with it a feel-good factor as an overwhelming 68 % of consumers globally say doing things that benefit the environment makes them feel happy. While 38 % say they want to show other people how they are doing good for the environment (eg by sharing on social media). A further 24 % say they have researched their annual carbon footprint (eg with an online calculator or app).
While environmental priorities have shifted in the last year, consumers’ sustainable behaviours remain focused on simplicity and frugality: recycling packaging (59 % in 2022 v 60 % in 2021), meal planning to avoid food waste (53 % in 2022 v 52 % in 2021) and reducing clothes buying (50 % in 2022 v 52 % in 2021) remain the top global sustainable behaviours 2022-2021. Furthermore, global consumers’ optimism has stalled with 55 % believing that if we act now, we still have time to save the planet, compared to 54 % who said the same last year.
The second annual Mintel Consulting Sustainability Barometer features research and insight on consumers’ sustainability attitudes, behaviours and purchase preferences across 16 countries*. It offers recommendations for companies and brands based on best-in-class innovations, communications and campaigns.
Richard Cope, Senior Trends Consultant, Mintel Consulting, said: “The fact that concerns around climate change and water and food shortages are being prioritised ahead of previous preoccupations with waste and plastic pollution points towards the emergence of a more informed and hardened global consumer. Soaring temperatures, extreme weather events and disruptions to food, water and energy supply chains have given consumers a harsh reality check, hurting their health and wallets, and activating them in the process.
“In the meantime, escalating activism, regulatory reaction and the sheer scale of the challenges ahead and solutions required have educated global consumers enough to sniff out greenwashing campaigns and there’s no going back from that. This means companies will increasingly need to assert—and clearly communicate—the truly impactful actions they are taking to reduce emissions, rather than simply offset them or dip their toes into populist ‘plastic free’ campaigns. This growing awareness around resource inputs and emission and waste outputs will also spell the end for ‘environmentally friendly’ as a credible marketing term.
“Our research shows that the majority of consumers continue to see recycling and mitigating waste as important sustainable behaviours. This tells us that simple, frugal behaviours are the most popular among consumers which underlines the fact that brands’ sustainability initiatives need to deliver on value and convenience. Looking ahead to 2023, expect to see resource (food, water, money) conservation ascend further up the agenda and the use of economising technology refurbishers and urban peer access sharing economies to grow. For consumers, the connections between saving the environment, its resources and their money will strengthen.”
*1,000 internet users aged 16/18+ across 16 countries were surveyed in April 2022: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, UK, US; 500 internet users aged 16/18+ across 16 countries were surveyed in March 2021 with Indonesia and Mexico replaced by Poland and Ireland.
By Dr. Chris Owens, Lead Plant Breeder at IFG
Climate change has been affecting many different regions around the globe for decades, and the shift in weather is impacting fruit production. Areas that are being impacted most severely have historically seen significant effects from climate change. However, there are other areas also being affected, such as the northwestern United States and Western Canada with this year’s unprecedented heat. There have also been severe wildfires in many regions, threatening entire fields of crops.
Grapes (Photo: IFG)
The regions facing the most issues right now are those that are already battling heat and drought. Some areas in Europe have begun moving wine grape vineyards further north or to a higher elevation, adjusting to the planet’s changing climate. Table grapes themselves are more heat tolerant, and IFG’s breeding program has used the most recent heatwave to screen our varieties for heat tolerance. However, there is still a maximum amount of heat that fruit can tolerate, and as climate change continues to alter the environment, it will affect global agriculture and food production.
Climate change and its impact on the agricultural industry and global food production
Climate change is the shift of average weather conditions over time and has been chiefly caused by human activity. The increase of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere allows for more of the sun’s rays to pass through the atmosphere, increasing the temperature on the planet. The result of these shifts can be severe or extreme weather events, such as more frequent and intense storms, flooding, scorching heat waves, freezing cold snaps, wildfires, and water shortages. Growers are witnessing their entire fields of crops damaged in one swoop.
Climate change has a direct impact on our global food supply. Changes in the weather affect the locations where products can be grown, thereby impacting the capacity for farmers to produce the food necessary to feed the world’s population. Fruits and vegetables are living organisms that respond to warm and cold temperature changes. Anything that will make significant changes to the environment will have considerable impacts on agriculture.
What fruit scientists, horticulturists, and growers are doing differently
From breeding to growing to packing, each area has different courses to cope with climate change. On the breeding side, efforts are being made to develop varieties that can tolerate rain and heat to varying stages of the production cycle. IFG is working on this for our table grape and cherry crops, and other fruit breeders are working on the same for crops such as apples and pears.
Growers are also implementing new irrigation system technology to be more efficient while protecting their crops from the rapidly changing environment. They are utilizing soil humidity sensors, reflective covers to reduce water evaporation, shade nets to protect the crops from excessive sun exposure, and even rain covers to protect the fruit from rainstorms. These efforts may be enough to protect against hot or cold temperatures or drought; however, they will not save crops from being destroyed by extreme weather events such as wildfires, storms, or floods.
Predicting the future of fruit production
Due to climate change and recent developments in fruit-breeding programs, farmers are avoiding planting in higher-risk areas. The industry is seeing increasing growth of planting in regions where certain fruit varieties were not grown in the past. Jalisco in Mexico or Piura in Peru are examples of developing table grape regions. This change in geography is also evident in other crops, such as blueberries and cherries, with the recent introduction of low-chill varieties. Growers will undertake the enormous task of moving their fruit to new areas if the heat or drought is too difficult for production. Conversely, suppose the land cannot provide the necessary chill requirements or secure water supply. In that case, we can expect growers to move to untraditional growing areas, as evident in the regions where IFG’s cherry varieties are currently being grown.
Climate change is at the forefront of many conversations in agriculture, which is why IFG does the work we do: breeding new varieties of fruit that will grow in warmer climates with less water requirements. As the planet changes, there is the possibility that we will see less fruit production. IFG is focused on breeding varieties that ensure consistent cropping in a changing climate.
About Dr. Chris Owens Dr. Chris Owens has been with IFG since 2016 and is now the Lead Plant Breeder, directing the development of improved varieties of table grapes and sweet cherries. He also directs IFG’s research and development efforts supporting the breeding program, including post-harvest evaluations, plant pathology and genetics. Chris interacts closely with the international technical and commercial teams with the goals to accelerate the adoption and maximize the success of IFG’s new varieties. Chris holds a BS in horticulture from the University of Maryland, an MS in pomology from Cornell University, and a PhD in plant breeding and genetics from Michigan State University. Prior to IFG, Chris spent more than 20 years in germplasm development, breeding and genetics of both grapevines and cherries. The author of numerous book chapters and scientific articles, he has presented research results at national and international conferences and served on professional societies’ advisory committees.
GEA Group AG announced a comprehensive climate strategy. With the corresponding climate targets, GEA is making a clear commitment to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions along its entire value chain by 2040. The company has submitted its net-zero commitment and 2030 interim targets to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), the globally recognized, independent body for reviewing climate targets. Validation of GEA’s interim targets by SBTi is expected in the second half of 2021, confirming GEA’s targets are aligned with the latest climate science and are effectively contributing to the 1.5 degrees Celsius target of the Paris Agreement.
Stefan Klebert (Photo: GEA)
“GEA is taking bold action to support the global transition to a net-zero economy. Our new climate strategy positions GEA as the leader in our peer group. We are pursuing the most comprehensive and ambitious climate strategy in the mechanical engineering industry,” says Stefan Klebert, CEO GEA Group AG. “We are incorporating our entire value chain into this effort, tackling both direct and indirect emissions. And by doing so, we are taking clear action in line with GEA’s purpose: ‘engineering for a better world’.”
By investing globally in Gold Standard-certified projects to generate clean energy from wind, sun, biomass and waste gases, GEA’s own operations are already climate-neutral since the beginning of 2021. Established by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the Gold Standard certifies climate protection projects that have highest possible positive climate impact. “Carbon offsets for the emissions that we cannot yet avoid is, of course, only the first step on our net-zero journey. That is why we are working to transform our business operations to effectively contribute to limiting global warming,” explains Klebert.
2030 interim targets submitted
In addition to GEA’s 2040 net-zero target, the company has submitted ambitious interim science-based targets across all relevant scopes. Compared to the baseline year 2019, GEA aims to:
Reduce GHG emissions from its own operations (Scopes 1 and 2) by 60 percent by 2030
Reduce GHG emissions from the customer use phase of its products (Scope 3) by 18 percent by 2030
Immediate actions to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions
To reduce its Scope 1 and 2 emissions, GEA is pursuing multiple initiatives. First, the company aims to gradually increase its share of renewable power to 100 percent within the next five years. To achieve this, GEA will make use of renewable energy certificates, extend its own green power generation and look into long-term power purchase agreements. Second, GEA will boost the energy efficiency of its global infrastructure with initiatives to modernize office buildings and production facilities, prioritizing the 29 most energy-intensive production sites covering 80 percent of total group wide energy consumption.
Third, over time and where feasible, GEA will green its global fleet of approximately 4,300 company cars. A green mobility policy introduced today stipulates that all new incentive cars for GEA managers in Germany will be 100 percent electric. The company will invest in wall boxes at German GEA sites to support the rollout. “We want to lead by example,” remarks CEO Klebert. “Our transition to a zero-emission fleet – starting with the cars for our management in Germany – shows we are taking clear and visible action.”
Reduction in Scope 3 emissions essential to achieving net-zero target
GEA’s innovative technologies have long played a decisive role in reducing GHG emissions in the various end customer industries it serves, foremost food, beverage and pharma. With the ever-advancing resource efficiency of its production and process technology, GEA enables customers to reach their own sustainability goals. Nevertheless, in direct comparison to GEA’s own GHG emissions, indirect emissions from suppliers and products sold – so-called Scope 3 – make up more than 95 percent of GEA’s overall GHG emissions.
The company’s climate strategy therefore focuses on identifying climate impact hotspots in GEA’s product portfolio and further boosting the energy efficiency of GEA products. GEA’s comprehensive portfolio – ranging from components and industrial machinery to complete processing lines and factories – will be thoroughly analyzed in the coming years. This level of transparency will enable the company to prioritize the climate roadmap and further develop sustainable customer solutions.
“Product innovation will be the key lever to reach our 18 percent reduction target for Scope 3 in 2030. It’s an ambitious goal, but I’m convinced we’ll achieve it; engineering excellence is GEA’s core strength,” comments Klebert. “For instance, we are already equipping customers such as smoothie-producer innocent with machinery that enables the carbon-free production of beverages. Going forward, we will employ such climate-smart solutions on an ever-increasing scale.” In addition to installing new technologies, GEA modernizes existing customer plants to reduce their climate impact as much as possible.
Sustainability as key pillar in GEA’s Factory of the Future
(Photo GEA)
Optimizing our manufacturing footprint, which includes reducing the environmental impact of our sites, is another important factor for achieving GEA’s climate and sustainability goals. GEA laid the cornerstone for a new, climate-neutral production facility in Koszalin, Poland, on May 21, 2021 – a concrete example of how GEA aims to decarbonize its infrastructure. The facility will produce its own energy by integrating photovoltaic panels on the roof and storing power in batteries which can be used to power fleet vehicles. In addition, a combined heat and power (CHP) system will be used to generate electricity and heat, which can be used to heat and cool the site. LED lighting, best-in-class building insulation and low emissivity glass are all part of the factory’s climate-neutral building concept.
Journey towards a comprehensive ESG strategy
GEA’s climate strategy is the first building block of a comprehensive Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy at GEA. Beyond climate protection, this strategy will also take social and corporate governance aspects into account. It will reinforce the company’s commitment to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and become a foundational element of ‘Mission 26’, GEA’s new corporate strategy that is currently under development. ‘Mission 26’ will be presented at GEA’s next Capital Markets Day in September 2021.
Commercial productive apple growing in a northern climate – terroir project in sub arctic Sweden well ahead of schedule
As 2021 rolls into the calendar the project “Commercial productive apple growing in a northern climate – innovation for new climate resilient agriculture in northern Europe”, a project to lay the foundation of a new apple growing region in Northern Europe and as a result, a new terroir in nordic wine and cider culture reaches some milestones and enters the next phase.
The project has been met with enthusiasm and strong response from a wide range of farmers across the region and the project is well ahead of the projected planting schedule.
The collaboration group comprised of academics, nurseries, professionals specialised in growing commercial crops in the north as well as wholesale and commercial apple growing has managed to secure trial grounds and, as part of the project’s commitment towards EIP-Agri also initiated the establishment of a comparative orchard in the south of Sweden using the hybrid planting system that the project is championing.
Project manager, Daniel Pacurar,
“The response has been overwhelming and we are in a situation where we could probably plant the entire scope of the project in its first year of establishment alone. This is very encouraging. On top of that we have a number of potential growers on a waiting list which means we now need to look at the possibilities of expanding the project both in terms of time as well as resources.”
“Commercial productive apple growing in a northern climate – innovation for new climate resilient agriculture in northern Europe” presently runs from 2020 to 2023, funded by EIP-agri, the European union fund for innovation and productivity within agriculture, in collaboration with a group of experts together with established farmers, budding cider producers and professional gardening businesses across the region who want to add, diversify or are looking to grow apples for wholesale or sales into beverage production.
Project owner is Brännland Cider, situated at latitude 63 on the Baltic seaboard, among the worlds most respected producers of ice cider.
About Brännland Cider Brännland Cider produces ice cider using 100% Swedish apples for a national and international market. The company’s first vintage, an ice cider produced in the Swedish county of Västerbotten, not far from the arctic circle, using Swedish apples in adherence to the denomination set in the country of origin of ice cider, Canada, was released in 2012.
…and will contribute to protect 17,872 hectares of forest in the Amazon area annually
The Eckes-Granini Group with all its subsidiaries will operate climate neutral throughout Europe as of January 1, 2021. Europe-wide, the Group emitted 43,082 tons of carbon into the atmosphere in 2019 – caused, among other things, by energy and heating, waste processing, employee commuting and business trips. This is the result of a profound analysis of the companies’ carbon footprint in cooperation with ClimatePartner. The solution provider of climate action for companies has been supporting the leading supplier of fruit juices and fruit beverages since this year. With regard to the fight against climate change, the Eckes-Granini Group strives for zero greenhouse gas emissions. In order to get much closer to this overall goal, the Group will offset 43,000 tons carbon emissions of its direct business activities through a carbon offset project conducted by ClimatePartner in Portel, Brazil. Thereby, Eckes-Granini ensures the protection of 17,872 hectares of forest in the Amazon region per year.
Eckes-Granini offsets its emissions by supporting a forest protection project in Portel, in the Brazilian state of Pará. The project protects a total of 151,105 hectares of forest each year. It also provides alternative sources of income and education for the residents of Portel, e.g. through the cultivation of pepper or the training of forest rangers.
Commitment to climate action across Europe
The German subsidiary of Eckes-Granini (hohes C, granini) has already been climate neutral since 2019. This is a great success that was achieved through the implementation of numerous climate protection measures. These include the modernization of facilities, the purchase of green electricity and the reduction of fuel consumption in the logistics fleet. As of January 2021, the entire carbon footprint of all eleven European subsidiaries will be offset.
About ClimatePartner ClimatePartner is a solution provider of climate action for companies. ClimatePartner combines individual consulting with cloud-based software that is unique on the market. Customers can use it to calculate and reduce carbon emissions and compensate for unavoidable emissions. In this way, products and companies become climate neutral, which is confirmed by the ClimatePartner label. ClimatePartner offers carbon offset projects in different regions and with different technologies and standards. The additional social effects of the projects are particularly important: The 17 goals for sustainable development of the United Nations, the SDGs, are the benchmark here. ClimatePartner was founded in Munich in 2006 and today has more than 100 employees in Munich, Berlin, Essen, Vienna, Zurich and Yerevan and cooperates with more than 2,500 companies in 35 countries.
ACE supports the European Commission proposal on the EU Climate Law aimed at reaching climate neutrality by 2050.
“We fully endorse the European Commission’s objective to make the EU climate neutral by 2050. Today, the EU demonstrates their leadership on climate change, and presents another opportunity to foster greater innovation, green jobs and reduce harmful emissions that negatively impact our society” said Annick Carpentier, Director General of ACE. “We now encourage the EU-co-legislators to go a step further and increase the ambition of this proposal by addressing the climate impact of materials and to strengthen the link between climate, the circular economy and the bioeconomy. Several reports acknowledge that production and use of materials account for a substantive share of greenhouse gas emissions. That’s why the substitution of high carbon materials with low carbon materials, such as sustainably-sourced renewables, is key to reach climate neutrality and reduce the need for fossil-based resources. We look forward to working constructively with the EU institutions to have this more clearly reflected in the Climate Law.”
By using recognised science-based targets, sustainably sourced materials, internationally recognized standards, such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®), the members of ACE remain committed to contributing to a low carbon circular economy.
SIG has set a bold new climate target that is one of the first in its industry to be approved by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) as being in line with the latest climate science to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels to prevent the worst effects of climate change. SIG is committed to cutting its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 60 % by 2030 (from the 2016 baseline).
The ambitious new target places SIG among an elite group of companies leading efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the global Paris Agreement to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C.
Around 300 companies have targets approved by the SBTi. Fewer than 100 are currently approved as being in line with the 1.5°C goal. SIG is one of the first in its industry to have a 1.5°C target approved by the SBTi.
SIG’s new target compresses the timeline to achieve a 60 % absolute reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by a full 10 years compared with its previous target, which was already approved by the SBTi as in line with keeping global warming well below 2°C.
A strong focus on renewable energy underpins the company’s efforts to achieve this target. SIG has already switched to 100 % renewable electricity for global production and is exploring opportunities to expand on-site renewables, such as its award-winning rooftop solar array in Thailand.
SIG is not only committed to cutting emissions from its own operations. The company also commits to reduce value chain greenhouse gas emissions by 25 % per litre packed by 2030 (from the 2016 baseline). This target includes scope 1, scope 2 & scope 3 emissions from Purchased Goods and Services, Use of Sold Products, and End of Life Treatment.
Over 30 international journalists from 20 countries attended the Geisenheim Conference on Climate Change
A Media Summit with a strong international attendance took place in Geisenheim on November 21, 2019. The Summit featured the publication of the third ProWein Business Report on the special topic of climate change, prepared by Hochschule Geisenheim University. Over 30 journalists from 20 countries attended nine presentations by international speakers on the effects of climate change on the wine industry, as well as adaptation and sustainability strategies. Two Geisenheim professors Prof. Dr. Hans Reiner Schultz and Prof. Dr. Claudia Kammann kicked things off by addressing the causes and existential significance of climate change for humankind.
In a live stream from Australia, Prof. Dr. Markus Herderich and Dr. Mardi Longbottom from the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) reported on the impact of climate change on Australia’s wine industry, the adaptation strategies that have been in place there since 1980, as well as Australia’s sustainable wine-growing program. The presentation of the ProWein Business Reports on Climate Change by Prof. Dr. Simone Loose was streamed as a webinar to journalists worldwide. In underlining the significance of the report, Loose said: “this is the first time the ProWein Business Report has quantified the extent to which the various players in the international wine industry have already been affected by climate change, the comprehensive measures that have been taken to respond to it, as well as those that will be necessary in the future.”
Dr. Cristina Carlos from the Association for the Development of Viticulture in the Douro Region (ADVID) gave a very vivid account of the extent to which the winegrowers in Portugal are already suffering from water shortages and heat stress and the adjustments that are currently being made in order to sustain winegrowing in the region. Dr. Lukas Egarter Vigl of EURAC Research in Bolzano gave a talk on the systematic shift by South Tyrolean winegrowers to higher and cooler vineyards. Dr. Hervé Hannin from INRA Montpellier said France is thus far the only country to have systematically discussed local strategies for adapting to climate change with its winegrowers, which it intends to transform into a national strategy. The ecological sustainability of the wine industry was the focus of the two concluding lectures. Marcus Ihre from Systembolaget explained the role sustainability standards play in the purchasing of wines by the Swedish state-run retailer monopoly for alcoholic beverages,and how these standards are set and monitored. Keith Ulrich highlighted the fact that Fair’n Green is the only German standard in the wine industry to date to encourage members to make continuous improvements in all three areas of sustainability. As a member of Fair’n Green, winegrower Jochen Schmidt from the Palatinate region spoke about the measures he has successfully taken to make his winery CO² neutral.
The three-day Media Summit was rounded off by a tasting of sustainable wines presented by Stuart Piggott and Paula Sidore in the Geisenheim wine cellar, a tour of the Geisenheim FACE facility, a dinner at Schloss Vollrads, a demonstration of steep-slope viticulture in the Assmannshausen domain and a visit to the Steinberg cellar.
In its new sustainability report for 2017/2018 KHS documents its various sustainability measures, successes and targets
In its new sustainability report for 2017/2018 KHS documents its various sustainability measures, successes and targets. The latest publication focuses on saving resources within the company and as regards product and service concepts.
“KHS has always attached immense importance to protecting people, the climate and the environment. In our sustainability report we show which measures we’ve already taken and which we are yet to implement in this respect,” says Kai Acker, CEO of the KHS Group. The Dortmund systems supplier’s third voluntary report is again based on the globally recognized sustainability reporting standard developed by the Global Reporting Initiative and on the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations.
Concepts for the future
“We aim to continue producing holistic systems and solutions for our customers and at the same time protect the environment,” states Acker. To this end KHS intends to lower its carbon emissions in the long term by making considerable savings in energy, materials and resources – and not just within its own company but also regarding its product and service concepts. In this way the Dortmund engineering company is helping its clients to reach their own sustainability targets.
The most recent example of this is the next generation of the KHS Innofill Glass DRS ECO glass filler, distinguished by its lower energy consumption which is reduced by up to 20%. The machine also cuts carbon emissions by as much as 50%. Thanks to digital networking and monitoring the glass bottle filler also provides optimum product quality and higher line availability. “By increasingly applying intelligent products and solutions we can also boost the efficiency of our plant engineering,” Acker explains.
The next generation of the KHS glass filler is just one example of how beer, mixed beer beverages and soft drinks can be processed gently and efficiently while protecting the environment. (Photo: KHS)
Employees a source of innovation
One core component of the KHS sustainability report is the company’s personnel. Besides providing a number of facts and figures the machine manufacturer gives readers an insight into the diverse fields of work covered by its many employees and their specific commitment to sustainability over the past two years. “Our employees are of central importance to KHS. It’s they who are behind every single idea and development and who are largely instrumental in promoting our economic and sustainable actions,” emphasizes Acker. In the future KHS will continue to intensify its development in the context of climate and environmental protection and check into which process steps further measures can be integrated.
