In a move to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while processing, transporting, storing and displaying cold food, a group of several refrigeration industry-leading companies have announced the organization of the Global Food Cold Chain Council. The new council will help stimulate demand for more earth-friendly technologies while reducing emissions and cutting down on food spoilage.
The announcement was made by the Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy in conjunction with private sector partners at the United Nations Secretary-General’s Climate Summit, which was held in New York City.
The council will be working with the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to develop solutions to cut down on hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) in the cold food chain. Cutting down on these emissions will reduce the industry’s carbon footprint while extending food supplies and cutting down on the estimated 3.3 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide in food waste each year.
“The food cold chain is responsible for nearly one third of global HFC emissions. The Global Food Cold Chain Council is part of the Alliance’s comprehensive approach to achieving the global reduction of high-global warming potential HFCs,” said Kevin Fay, Alliance executive director, in a press release.
HFCs are compounds were introduced to replace ozone-depleting substances and account for one per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, though that number is expected to increase to over 10 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The industry is set to invest $5 billion over the next 10 years to research, develop and commercialize low-global warming potential technologies, and with this, the Alliance is vowing to cut down on HFC emissions by as much as 80 per cent by 2050.
