Unlocking value chain impact claims for the Australian red meat sector
Consumers require product certification to buy-in to low carbon or carbon neutral products and services.
| Publication date: | 08 April 2022 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Grain-fed Cattle, Grass-fed Cattle, Sheep, Goat, Lamb |
| Relevant regions: | National |
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Download Report
(6.8 MB)
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Summary
SustainCERT, the official certification body for Gold Standard for the Global Goals, is designing and developing a digitised pathway for consumers and other value chain participants to recognise and reward producers of high-quality low carbon and carbon neutral red meat product.
Objectives
Establish the foundation for a whole of value chain, scalable, cost-effective greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions certification platform.
Produce a set of standardised tools and requirements for producers to report on GHG emissions and GHG reductions associated with their activities.
Produce guidelines and tools for users, including webinars, fact sheets and other relevant supporting information to be included in MLA extension and adoption materials.
Key findings
SustainCERT has built a use case for producers to test a digital platform for tracking impact through the red meat supply chain to allow buyers to procure improved emission factor attributes coupled to a volume of beef from within the same supply chain. The platform also tracks the attribute (an improved emission factor) to the ‘owner’ of the activity or intervention to ensure that the owner is recognised and rewarded.
Benefits to industry
The SustainCERT certification platform allows red meat value chain participants to engage, understand and determine their needs for lowering GHG emissions along the supply chain and leverage that improved market knowledge to grow the value of low carbon and carbon neutral red meat credentials.
The demand from corporates and companies seeking solutions to supply chain emissions (Scope 3) delivers a new value proposition, distinctly different to the existing carbon project cycle.
The benefits to the broader industry include a structural change to the way emissions reduction claims are made and effort is recognised. Through this innovation, SustainCERT can provide an alternative pathway to generating carbon credits and this is a verified emission factor of red meat as the result of an intervention.
MLA action
Published final report summarising the certification platform. Supported SustainCert with the platform launch.
Future research
Future work might include demonstrating and refining the certification platform with value chain participants to build awareness and understanding to create the required scale to meet current and future demand for low carbon and carbon neutral products.
Meat and Livestock Australia will be invited to participate as a key industry stakeholder to support the adoption of a viable and cost-effective option for red meat producers and other supply chain actors to participate in a credible emissions reduction and reporting pathway. The solution has been designed to unlock Scope 3 reporting for corporates and create value for efforts being made to reduce emissions as well as enable the red meat industry to retain the carbon benefit claims.
SustainCERT recommend that Meat and Livestock Australia maintain its high level of engagement across the digital and technology development sectors that will support improved measurement of emission sources and sinks, land use method development and adoption of tools for accelerating the transition to digitised farm management. The increase in take up of technology and knowledge of individual business carbon accounts enabled by technology is required for broader participation in carbon markets.
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For more information Contact Project Manager:Michelle Ford |
