Organic versus climate protection?

Eco-experts call for clear climate concepts for organic farming

(Nürnberg) All consumers and experts would agree that, whenever a person eats organic products, they are also doing something for the environment. But does an organic apple from Argentina protect the climate more or better than a conventional apple from a nearby orchard? This seems to be an area, in which the organic sector still has some catching up to do, if one is to believe the experts that came together last Thursday to discuss issues affecting the organic sector.

At the traditional “Nature & More Dinner”, to which leading figures from the industry and ecological organisations are invited every year during the world’s leading organic trade fair, representatives from Greenpeace, the international organic organisation IFOAM, the environment-orientated Triodos Bank, TÜV Nord and the Nature & More Foundation also called for the organic sector to define clear objectives for climate protection.

“Industrialised agriculture is one of the worst offenders of our time in terms of climate damage”, says world trade expert Jürgen Knirsch from Greenpeace, outlining the problematic context. "The excessive use of fertilisers alone causes climate-damaging emissions equivalent to 2 thousand million tonnes of CO2. At the same time, the majority of climate killers caused by agriculture can be avoided through relatively straightforward measures. The organic sector can be a pioneer in this field, as healthy soils are not only good for plants, they also store large volumes of carbon." IFOAM boss Gerald Herrmann adds: “Of course, in organic farming we have a better starting position in comparison to conventional farmers, as far as climate protection is concerned, because we are not involved in intensive animal husbandry and do not use any nitrogen-based fertilisers. In spite of this, we cannot allow this to let us become complacent. We also need to push for atmosphere protection to be taken as seriously as the present situation requires.” Intensive discussion is currently in progress as to how the international guidelines for organic certification could be brought even closer into line with the UNO climate protection objectives.

Hugo Skoppek from the Nature & More Foundation described as exemplary the initiative of the Dutch organic importer Eosta, which presented its “climate neutral fruit” at the “Fruit Logistica” international fruit fair in Berlin in cooperation with its subsidiary Soil & More and TÜV Nord. “At the same time, it does not matter at all to us how we stand in comparison with conventional farming,” says Eosta boss Volkert Engelsman, “We have taken the decision to disclose all greenhouse gas emissions, to which we, our suppliers and customers contribute. We will work to reduce these emissions and later compensate for them completely. We believe that we owe this to the responsible consumer of the 21^st century, in other words to the world that our children and grandchildren will live in.”

In this way, the resourceful entrepreneur once again shows us the way forward, by setting a “benchmark”, as he says. A special characteristic of this project, initiated by the Nature & More Foundation, is that compensation for greenhouse gases is not only neutralised by means of emission allowances purchased on the marketplace, but also through a process originating from organic farming, in which plant wastes are efficiently composted and greenhouse gases are thus avoided. “The climate neutral products that have now been certified by TÜV Nord not only make a positive contribution because they are farmed organically, but also due to the nature of their compensation: Farmers operate compost systems and are able to use the high quality fertilisers themselves, sell them on to third parties and also stand to gain additional income from the emission allowances that they generate.”

Peter Segger, a groundbreaking eco-pioneer in England is hoping that the sector will achieve major success. “Completely conventional organic farming” has already made a major contribution to CO2 reduction in the agrarian economy due to its low overall primary energy consumption, significantly reduced water pollution and the circular economy. However, this is not enough in itself: “We, the farmers, processors and dealers in organic products, have to go further than everyone else. Today, we can achieve this by reducing methane emissions through intelligent compost projects, and tomorrow we must recognise that humus-rich soils themselves represent a greenhouse gas reduction factor due to carbon compounds. We call on the sector to agree upon a Carbon Protocol for Organic Farming on a Life Cycle Assessment basis (from the production process to the shops). It is time for the sector to assert its leading role in the food production of the future!”

Contact: Volkert Engelsman, +31(0)6-53306110 and Markus Schmidt: +49(0)4181-350327