WHY
This workshop arises from an industry’s need to address the climate crisis at scale, collectively, both through mitigation and adaptation measures. To start, wine companies need to understand their dependencies and impacts, the sources of their emissions and, above all, that climate action is accessible, affordable (the opposite – inaction – may be extremely expensive) and a responsibility at the range of organizations of all sizes, regions and profiles.
The Porto Protocol brings an eagle’s eye approach on solutions for wine in a changing climate, an outcome of observing, talking, listening and gathering different perspectives, approaches, innovations, best practices and trends taking place as we speak with many different players across the globe.
The result is a hands-on approach workshop that digs into the carbon footprint of wine from soil to sip and considers the many options available for a more applied and proactive carbon management. We will deliver a thorough view on wine’s carbon footprint and beyond, gathering experts and producers that will share with you their knowledge and solutions.
OVERVIEW
How ironic is it that the term “carbon footprint” (CFT) was broadly introduced to the world by a major fossil fuel company in the early years of the millennium? It is now a common expression of our daily vocabulary when addressing the climate crisis and our efforts to reduce it, namely the utter need of dropping the use of… fossil fuels.
Whether we are talking about individual or collective CFT, it stands for the estimate of the full climate change impact of something, caused by the release of greenhouse gasses and CO2 in the atmosphere due to human activity. And to reverse this trend, we need to reduce and remove carbon from the air.
In terms of wine value chain, its CFP is thoroughly known, starting with the weight of the bottle that, together with transportation, accounts for approximately 40%, energy consumption throughout production, chemical fertilizers, among other elements.
And if a business is to reduce its CFP, the first step is to understand what it is, why it has become such a ‘major deal’ and how to calculate it. Or is it not?
There are various tools available worldwide. Various approaches. For example, using the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, you can measure per product or the whole business impact. You can measure scope 1 (direct emissions) and 2 (indirect emissions-owned) and/or 1, 2 and 3 (indirect emissions – not owned).
Furthermore, there is no universal tool for measuring the carbon footprint of wines. Different companies, tools, measure in different ways. So how accurate is it to compare the Carbon footprint of different wines, different businesses that have been measured in distinct ways? The costs involved are significant and also vary.
Within this context, is measuring its CFT fundamental for a small (or any size) company to reduce its carbon emissions? Are there other approaches that can positively impact this path? Nevertheless, all steps should be towards lowering the carbon footprint of your business.
ORGANIZING
COMMITTEE
Diana Seysses
Winemaker at Domaine Dujac
Greg Jones
CEO at Abacela
Nuno Gaspar de Oliveira
Partner at Natural Business Intelligence
Dr. Richard Smart
Viticulturist and International Consultant at Smart Viticulture
GOALS
& OUTCOMES
GOALS
- Demystify the concept of assessing and measuring the carbon footprint for all-size wine producers
- Debate the main challenges and opportunities of the assessment, measuring and mitigation/compensation process
- Explore practical solutions to manage your Carbon and reduce your carbon footprint
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
- Understand the strategic and operational business risks and opportunities related to climate change
- Identify the key elements that contribute to wine’s carbon footprint
- Outline the key steps to measuring and understanding the carbon footprint of your business
- Understand the carbon cycle and how to do its tracking, calculation, reporting and management
- Uncover strategies to reduce emissions, save money and avoid high risk exposure
- Transfer to your business the practical solutions presented at the workshop
CALENDAR AND TOPICS
STANDARD LEVEL
4 SESSIONS – TOTAL 6h – 1h30m per session
OVERVIEW:
Wine’s carbon footprint and the “low hanging fruit” to address it
WEEK 1 – Oct 20
Climate Change And Wine – Impacts And Challenges
WEEK 2 – Nov 03
Carbon Emissions In Wine Production
WEEK 3 – Nov 17
Cimate Action In Wine Production – The Low Hanging Fruit
WEEK 4 – Dec 16
Carbon Accounting – The Basics
ADVANCED LEVEL
4 SESSIONS – TOTAL 8h – 2h per session
OVERVIEW:
A more thorough and insightful dive into each topic, namely the dependencies and the sources of emissions, the process of assessing, measuring and the mitigation and sequestration opportunities along the wine cycle.
WEEK 5 – Jan 5
Carbon Management From Soil To Sip – the Whole Ecosystem Management approach to carbon
WEEK 6 – Jan 19
Carbon Management From Soil To Sip – Winery
WEEK 7 – Feb 2
Carbon Management From Soil To Sip – Packaging And Transportation
WEEK 8 – Feb 16
Carbon Accounting – Exploring A Tool
