Defra report marks milestone for UK carbon accounting standards

Defra’s much called for and awaited R&D report titled ‘Harmonisation of Carbon Accounting Tools for Agriculture’, released in January 2024, provides crucial guidance on appropriate carbon accounting standards for UK agriculture.

The report aims to improve the accuracy of outputs from carbon calculation tools and establish standardised practices for carrying out farm-level carbon assessments.

It is hoped that the report will serve as a catalyst for the food and farming sector to carry out thorough and reliable baseline carbon reporting.

Carbon calculator analysis

The independent research project reviewed 81 global carbon calculators, of which the six most relevant for UK farming were analysed in detail in the report.

The project comprised:

  • • Phase one - 81 tools identified

  • • Phase two - 10 tools shortlisted based on relevance, accessibility, uptake in the sector and availability of supporting resources

  • • Phase three - six tools further shortlisted based on availability for review, with the inclusion of a poultry-specific tool, and four tools investigated across case study farms

The report emphasises the divergence in calculation methodology for carbon accounting, which leads to highly variable and often unrepresentative assessments of farm-level carbon and scope 3 emissions. This has undermined trust in the figures, stalled decarbonisation efforts and hindered recognition and reward of environmental progress.

The report recommends adopting tools aligned with recognised standards, including ISO 14064:2, ISO 14067 and the draft GHG Protocol Land Sector and Removals guidance, supporting the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).

However, most UK agribusinesses currently completing carbon accounting rely on older tools complying with outdated standards, such as PAS2050:2011, or no recognised standards at all.

Direction on carbon standards and appropriate software

This highly anticipated report puts an end to the notion that there are no common standards governing carbon accounting and the measurement of scope 3 emissions. It helps farmers and industry stakeholders clearly understand which standards to align to and the software that achieves these standards.

Dr Emily Pope, managing director of knowledge and collaboration at Trinity AgTech, says the report is a step forward that will help end inaction.

“We welcome Defra’s acknowledgement of the misalignment between outdated tools and modern standards, which obstructs farmers’ access to incentives for emissions reduction.

“Trinity AgTech’s Sandy navigation platform, identified as Calculator E in the report, is the only calculator in the report that aligns with Defra’s endorsed standards.

“It’s always been Trinity’s vision to develop a practical, scalable, and agile natural capital navigator that aligns with the latest reporting standards and that has the power to deliver an agricultural transition in which everyone benefits.

“This starts at farm level; if we can’t improve profitability for farmers, producing food while delivering environmental improvements becomes untenable,” says Dr Pope.

Benefits of more accurate farm carbon metrics

Jake Freestone, farm manager at Overbury Enterprises and co-founder of The Green Farm Collective, highlights the importance of rigorous, up-to-date methodologies to assess carbon: “Accurate carbon metrics give me and the industry the confidence to dispel myths surrounding agriculture and food production. It assures customers and consumers that UK farmers produce healthy, safe food with the best carbon footprint calculations.

“We don't want to be misinformed as consumers and in our moral positions. To assess where we stand, we need the most accurate metrics available. I also believe that robust and authentic carbon metrics can increase our produce's financial value by demonstrating our efforts' credibility, potentially commanding a premium.”

Read the Defra report

Read the full Defra report ‘Harmonisation of Carbon Accounting Tools for Agriculture’ here. Download Trinity AgTech’s analysis of findings here.

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