Carbon Footprint study
Fonterra’s Carbon Footprint study, completed in 2009, will be used to drive further efficiencies and help cut greenhouse gases below normal business levels.
By measuring the carbon footprint of our major dairy ingredient and consumer products sourced from New Zealand we can understand precisely where the emissions sit in the supply chain and more effectively target our efforts to reduce them.
Key findings of the research are:
- The carbon footprint is 940g of carbon dioxide equivalent per litre of liquid milk
- Around 85 per cent of the greenhouse gases are emitted on the farm (59 per cent of these are methane, 17 per cent are carbon dioxide, and 24 per cent are nitrous oxide)
- Processing/manufacturing accounts for 10 per cent of total emissions
- Distribution/transport accounts for 5 per cent of total emissions
- Products requiring larger quantities of milk have a larger carbon footprint.
The results were calculated measuring carbon emissions through each stage of the product life cycle – from on-farm and farm-related inputs where raw milk is produced, through to the finished commodity ingredient leaving New Zealand dairy processing sites and its transport to overseas markets.
Completion of the study is an important step towards getting carbon footprint measuring methodology agreed with key international dairy organisations and producers so that the dairy sector globally can contribute to reducing climate change.
Fonterra’s work was part funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and was undertaken by the University of New South Wales, Scion and AgResearch.
Read the Carbon Footprint media release.
See the Carbon Footprint Methodology Report.
