Air Carbon Footprint:
The results of the study show the carbon footprint (amount of greenhouse gas emissions) of one kilogram product upon its arrival on European retail shelves. The calculations for carbon footprint are based on the reported emissions for the period of January 1st 2008 until December 31st 2008.
All greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the assessed supply chain were identified and analyzed through assessment questionnaires, site visits and desktop researches.
The assessments are done according to a comparable methodology as described in the PAS 2050 (Publicly Available Specification), a standard for carbon footprint assessment of goods and services developed by the British Standard Institute.
The carbon footprint assessment study takes into account direct emissions and indirect emissions.

In this assessment, direct GHG emissions include the combustion of fossil fuel related emissions for the vehicles and equipment on the farm, volatilization of refrigerants, and soil emissions related to nitrogen fertilization at farm level.
In this assessment, indirect GHG emissions include the emissions in relation to electricity purchased (used at farm level and for packing, storage, stationary cooling and other activities at the growers facilities and EOSTA’s pack house and office), emissions related to outsourced activities such as transport and mobile cooling from farm to pack house, to port, ocean vessel shipping, import handling and transport and distribution to retail. Indirect GHG emissions also include emissions related to the manufacturing and transport of agricultural inputs and packaging materials.
The calculations are based on GHG activity data provided by the different stakeholders of the supply chain, multiplied by the appropriate GHG emission factors. The GHG emission factors are provided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); the International Energy Agency (IEA); the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)/Energy Information Administration (EIA); the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), the United Kingdom Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), as well as independent studies.

The carbon footprint study was carried out by Soil & More International BV.