carbon footprint

Climate change is one of the most important challenges facing all countries in the 21st century. Advancing levels of well-being and human development, and maintaining stability and economic growth in a changing climate, poses an enormous social and technological challenge.

The overall objective of the project is to help Spain achieve the commitments made in terms of mitigating climate change and favor the introduction of adaptation measures in the olive oil sector. The aim is to raise awareness and disseminate among the sectors not affected by the Kyoto Protocol, such as olive oil production, their contribution to the fight against climate change through the implementation of good practices that reduce emissions of_CO2 and other greenhouse gases, thus favouring environmentally sustainable growth in our country based on a low-carbon economy.

The specific objectives of the project are the identification of the different processes that make up the olive oil production chain and the quantification of energy consumption and the emissions associated with each of them (calculation of the carbon footprint), in the 4 oil mills. object of study (in the provinces of Seville and Tarragona) for the subsequent adoption of mitigation and adaptation measures to the effects of climate change in the olive oil sector.

The results that this project initially planned to achieve are the following:

1. Calculation of the carbon footprint of the olive oil sector and recommendations for its mitigation and adaptation to the effects of climate change in two oil-producing areas: Seville and Tarragona. The carbon footprint identifies the sources of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and will make it possible to define more effective emission reduction measures as well as better targeted cost saving initiatives, thanks to a better understanding of the critical points for reduction of said emissions.
2. Manual of opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the olive oil sector.
3. Raising awareness of the key agents in the production of olive oil (farmers, oil mill managers and bottling plants) about their contribution to the fight against climate change by disseminating good practices. The carbon footprint will represent a measure for the contribution of the organizations in the sector to be more socially responsible and one more element of awareness of the key agents for the assumption of more sustainable practices.
4. Reduction between 10-12% of energy consumption and consequently of the CO ₂ emissions generated.

1. Calculation of the carbon footprint of the olive oil sector and recommendations for its mitigation and adaptation to the effects of climate change in two oil-producing areas: Seville and Tarragona. The carbon footprint identifies the sources of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and will make it possible to define more effective emission reduction measures as well as better targeted cost saving initiatives, thanks to a better understanding of the critical points for reduction of said emissions.

2. Manual of opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the olive oil sector.

3. Sensitization of the key agents in the production of olive oil (farmers, managers of oil mills and bottling plants) about their contribution to the fight against climate change through the dissemination of good practices. The carbon footprint will represent a measure for the contribution of the organizations of the sector to be more socially responsible and one more element of awareness of the key agents for the assumption of more sustainable practices

4. Reduction between 10-12% of energy consumption and consequently of the CO ₂ emissions generated.

We can affirm that the 4 results initially proposed in the project have been obtained, reaching the initial objective of helping Spain achieve the commitments made in terms of mitigating climate change and favoring the introduction of adaptation measures in the olive oil sector. . Raising awareness and disseminating the Kyoto Protocol in the olive oil production sector, as well as contributing to the fight against climate change.

In the development of the project, the different processes that make up the olive oil production chain have been identified, the energy consumption and the emissions associated with each of them have been quantified by calculating the carbon footprint in the oil mills. indicated in Seville and Tarragona for the subsequent adoption of mitigation and adaptation measures to the effects of climate change in the olive oil sector.

To calculate the carbon footprint, a tool developed by the French Agency for the Environment and Energy Management (ADEME) called “Bilan Carbone” has been used. This internationally recognized method is compatible with the ISO 14064 standard, with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol initiative and with the terms of the "authorization" of Directive No. 2003/87/EC regarding CO quotas ₂ in the market system.

The preparation of the Manual of opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the olive oil sector and the commitment of producers to adopt the good practice measures established in the Manual allows reductions between 16% and 29% of GHG emissions in the oil mills studied, just by changing practices, customs and the location of customers.

Therefore, a very positive assessment can be made of the process of execution and implementation of the project, as well as of obtaining the expected results.