Vineyards and wineries in the Granite Belt may need to change their practices to adhere to Wine Australia’s Emission Reduction Roadmap.
The Australian grape and wine sector has unveiled an Emissions Reduction Roadmap aimed at reducing carbon emissions by over 40 per cent before 2030.
Developed by Wine Australia in collaboration with global sustainability advisory Edge Impact, and with input from more than 200 members of the grape and wine community, the roadmap provides a science-backed and industry-endorsed pathway for carbon emissions reduction across the sector.
Wine Australia senior research and innovation program manager Dr Sharon Harvey said the Emissions Reduction Roadmap was a key starting point for Australia’s grape and wine businesses to decarbonise and reflects the commitment to ongoing improvement and safeguarding the future of Australian wine.
“Wine regions around the world are facing production challenges as a result of climate change, and global action towards a lower carbon future is accelerating,” Dr Harvey said.
“We all need to consider the emissions cost of our products to reduce our impact on the climate and to ensure access to key markets in the future.”
The Emissions Reduction Roadmap outlines 11 initiatives that lead to cost savings and the reduction of emissions in the vineyard, in the winery and through the supply chain.
Achieving the full potential of the reduction opportunity available to the sector will require a focus on using data to inform business decisions, reducing – and eventually eliminating – the use of fossil fuel vehicles, operating efficient production sites powered by renewable electricity, optimising low emissions transport and distribution networks, and collaborating with the wine supply chain to reduce emissions from high emitting materials and services.
The Emissions Reduction Roadmap is accompanied by the Emissions Reduction Guide, a reference manual that grape growers and winemakers can utilise to take action in their own businesses.
Dr Harvey said collaboration across the entire production and supply chain is key to achieving the emissions reduction goals.
“I encourage everyone in the industry from around Australia to look at the Roadmap’s resources and sign up to the network, so we can work together as a community to share knowledge, resources, and best practices. By doing so, we can drive real change and ensure the long-term success of our sector.”
The Emissions Reduction Roadmap forms part of Wine Australia’s Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) Investment Plan for the wine sector, which aims to prioritise areas necessary to meet customer needs and business demands and future-proof the sector.
Australian Grape and Wine, the peak industry body, has joined Wine Australia in its commitment to supporting the sector and supply chain to achieve the roadmap’s targets.
All resources related to the roadmap can be accessed at wineaustralia.com/emissions-reduction-roadmap.
