Addressing Food Value Chain Emissions for a Sustainable Future
The Climate Bonds Initiative is pleased to announce the launch of the Public Consultation period for the Food Value Chain Criteria under the Climate Bonds Standard. Running from 17th February to 17th April 2025, this consultation is a crucial step toward building a climate-aligned, low-carbon food system. The official launch of the Criteria is set to be held in May 2025.
We invite all stakeholders to provide input and help shape these Criteria to ensure they are both ambitious and practical. Participate here.
Why Focus on the Food Value Chain?
The Food Value Chain (FVC) includes all post-production activities—storage, transport, processing, packaging, distribution, and retail—before food reaches households.
Agrifood systems account for 35% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, yet most attention has been on farm-level emissions. Meanwhile, post-farm emissions are rising rapidly. A third of agri-food emissions (33.8%) occur at the post-production stage. The main sources of emissions beyond the farm gate are food system waste (7.9%) a major and avoidable contributor; household consumption (7.3%) driven by food choices, storage, and preparation; food retail (4.2%) mainly occurring from energy use, refrigeration, and transport; food processing (4%), food transport (3.1%) and packaging (1.8%).
How the Food Value Chain Criteria Can Drive Change
With growing populations and changing consumption patterns, tackling Food Value Chain emissions is urgent, especially in high and middle-income countries. The new Criteria will set clear eligibility requirements to mobilise green finance, helping businesses adopt more sustainable practices.
Key features of the Food Value Chain Criteria
Eight key factors and interventions have been identified that play the greatest role in driving emissions across the Food Value Chains. The Criteria provide a framework for certifying climate-aligned investments in any of the following for the food and beverage sector:
- - Energy use
- - Freight transport
- - Buildings, storage, and facilities
- - Green cold chain
- - Packaging
- - Food loss and waste reduction
- - Sustainable sourcing
- - Shifting consumption patterns
The Food Value Chain Criteria enable certification of Assets and Use of Proceeds that address these eight critical drivers of emissions along the food value chain post-production. The Criteria also cover household-level interventions to reduce food-related emissions, provided reductions are measurable.
The Last Word: Your Feedback Shapes the Future – Join the Consultation!
The Climate Bonds Initiative values stakeholder engagement to ensure the Food Value Chain Criteria is robust, effective, and fit for purpose. Your input will be instrumental in shaping a framework that supports global climate goals.
We invite policymakers, industry leaders, investors, and all interested stakeholders to participate. Explore the resources below and share your insights:
- - [Background Paper]
Your Voice Matters! Join the Consultation Today: https://shorturl.at/Unubm
‘Til Next Time,
Climate Bonds Initiative
