19 June 2008

2 minute read

Europe

The comments were made at a recent meeting of the DES Board, which administers the CCA on behalf of the dairy processing sector.

While other sectors are seeing their targets for carbon emission savings raised by 4% per tonne of product in 2010, the dairy industry is facing a hefty 11% hike. If the proposals go through, they will raise the target for savings in the dairy sector to 28% of 1999 emissions.

Sweeney said: “Since the CCA system was set up in 2000, the dairy sector has managed to lower its carbon emissions by significantly more than the target.

“These new proposals amount to moving the goalposts. The Government risks sending out the message that success in improving environmental performance will be penalised.

“Although the dairy industry remains committed to further improving its environmental impact, I believe the targets proposed are unrealistic and could lessen the sector’s motivation to cut energy use.”

Dairy Energy Savings is instead calling for more modest tightening of the carbon targets, in line with other sectors.

In the meantime, dairy companies remain committed to honouring the pledges they made in the Liquid Milk Roadmap, published in early May. In this document they agreed to exceed CCA targets and source 10% of non-transport energy from renewable sources by 2015.

DES administers the Climate Change Agreement with the dairy sector on behalf of dairy processors.

The CCA with industry stipulates an 80% rebate on the government’s Climate Change Levy for industries that meet targets on carbon emissions and energy use. In the dairy sector, the carbon savings required to qualify for the rebate have been met and exceeded at each ‘milestone’ period.

The Liquid Milk Roadmap was produced by the Sustainable Consumption Taskforce of the Dairy Supply Chain Forum, with backing from Dairy UK, Defra and the NFU.

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