Carbon References: Scope 3: Food

Scope 3: Food

 

Food purchases
NameUnitSourceURLCalculationsNotesEmission Factor Version
Greenhouse gas emissions factorkg eCO2 / kg foodHeller and Keoleian 2014, Greenhouse gas emission estimates of US dietary choices and food loss, Journal of Industiral Ecology DOI: 10.1111/jiec.12174https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jiec.12174kg eCO2 / kg foodGreenhouse gas emissions factors were collected from Heller & Keoleian 2014 for the food categories in SIMAP. The factors in Heller & Keoleian 2014 are averages by food category based on a literature survey conducted for the paper. Transport emissions for average food miles are included in these emissions factors. 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021
Greenhouse gas emissions factor for local foodkg eCO2 / kg foodHeller and Keoleian 2014, Greenhouse gas emission estimates of US dietary choices and food loss, Journal of Industiral Ecology DOI: 10.1111/jiec.12174; Weber and Matthews 2008, Food-miles and the relative climate impacts of food choices in the United States, Environmental Science & Technology 15: 3508-13.https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jiec.12174; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18546681(kg eCO2 / kg food) * (1 - 3%)250 miles was selected because it is a widely used average for local food miles. The greenhouse gas emissions factors from Heller & Keoleian 2014 were modified to reduce the tranport emissions. It was assumed that final transport accounts for 4% of greenhouse gas emissions from food (Weber & Matthews 2008), so the Heller & Keoleian 2014 emissions factors were reduced by 3% overall to account for a roughly 75% reduction in transport miles. 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021
Greenhouse gas emissions factorkg eCO2 / kg foodJ. Poore, T. Nemecek, Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers.Science360,987-992(2018).DOI:10.1126/science.aaq0216https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aaq0216kg eCO2 / kg foodGreenhouse gas emissions factors were collected from Poore & Nemecek 2018 and align with WRI's Coolfood Pledge Calculator. 2022, 2024, and 2025
Greenhouse gas emissions factor for local foodkg eCO2 / kg foodWeber and Matthews 2008, Food-miles and the relative climate impacts of food choices in the United States, Environmental Science & Technology 15: 3508-13.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18546681(kg eCO2 / kg food) * (1 - 3%)250 miles was selected because it is a widely used average for local food miles. It was assumed that final transport accounts for 4% of greenhouse gas emissions from food (Weber & Matthews 2008), so food emissions calculations are reduced by 3% overall to account for the local transport distance.2022, 2024, and 2025