Cool Farm Initiative (COOL)
Contributions in WP2
Contributing 2PM to:
T2.1: Generate a centralised repository of food-linked data
Lead: ETHZ (5PM).
Effort by contributors: UOY (5PM), ZHAW (4PM), SEI (2PM), COOL (2PM). Timing: M3-12. ata on the environmental impacts of food is scattered. Here, we will gather and interrogate existing food-related datasets (LCA, IO-based/footprinting, production and processing, nutritional, supply-chain management-linked, geospatial/remote-sensing and trade resources) encompassing information and datasets linked to production, processing, consumption and end-of-life/waste stages of the food system. The purpose of this review is to support standardization efforts and help build a roadmap for how to move from the current state of the art to robust PEF standards. The purpose of the review is not distil knowledge, i.e. it is not to get a robust understanding of food system impacts. The purpose is simply to support standardization efforts. We will centrally and systematically record key components of the data. We will document the scope of information being provided (e.g. supply chain stage covered, indicators specified/available, commodity coverage, specificity/resolution, time-series etc), the management of the data by data-owners (e.g. ownership, periodicity of uptake, project resourcing and marketing etc), examples of use-cases and applications (e.g. impactful case studies, known utilisation in policy or private-sector decision making) and availability to end-users (openness, licensing, availability of meta-data and methodology materials, investment in training materials etc). Contributes to:
D2.1 (M21).
Contributing 2PM to:
T2.2: Targeted investments for FAIRness and PEF compliance
Lead: UOY (6PM).
Effort by contributors: ULEI (3PM), DDS (3PM), SEI (2PM), COOL (2PM). Timing: M12-21. Data uptake grossly lags behind data availability. We will assess datasets (including those resources developed/owned by the project team, but also external parties) for technological ‘readiness’. Initial triage (based on Task 2.1 datasets) will identify those most important in providing (or having the potential to provide) actionable information to private sector and policy decision maker needs. Key criteria will include the development status of datasets (i.e. maturity as a product and potential longevity etc), uniqueness (i.e. ability to fill gaps in knowledge), levels of impact (i.e. existing uptake in practice, demonstrable use-cases), and scientific quality, including reported uncertainties. Triage will identify datasets which span the breadth of food sustainability issues (environmental domains, supply chain stages, end-users targeted etc) with the most ‘valuable’ use cases. For this subset of ‘most valuable products’ we will undertake assessment of adherence to FAIR principles and Product Environmental Footprint standards; systematically identifying weaknesses. For the latter, we will benchmark data provision and documentation against PEF guidance from the perspective of dataset readiness to provide information to the sixteen core environmental footprints, plus the optional ‘further environmental information’ aspects of PEF implementation. Best practice examples will be collated across the tools and datasets. Contributes to:
D2.1 (M21), D2.5 (M42).
This task is linked to the following milestones: MS2.1 (M15).
Contributing 2PM to:
T2.3: Improve the technological readiness of key datasets
Lead: UOY (5PM).
Effort by contributors: NILU (5PM), CNRS (3PM), DDS (3PM), ZHAW (3PM), ULEI (2PM), SEI (2PM), ETHZ (2PM), COOL (2PM). Timing: M22-34. To enhance uptake, we will develop recommendations for each tool/data provider based on the assessment of weaknesses and best practice examples (T2.2). We will actively disseminate findings to data providers, who will be invited to attend one-to-one discussion meetings with the project team. We will also host two workshops across multiple partners (covering the same topic, but split to allow attendance from more parties and deeper interaction) to encourage further sharing of best practice and ‘challenges’ in responding to recommendations. An academic publication will also be produced to share outcomes openly. For tools provided by project partners we will, via project funding, implement selected recommendations. This task contributes to D2.2 (M24), D2.3 (M32) and D2.4 (M34). Milestone: M2.2 (M28) Stakeholder workshops (M28); M2.3 (M28): Assessment of which internal tool/data provider recommendations will be implemented (M28). Contributes to:
D2.2 (M24), D2.3 (M32), D2.4 (M34).
This task is linked to the following milestones: MS2.2 (M28), MS2.3 (M28).
Contributing 2PM to:
T2.4: Building statistical robustness to improve PEF quality
Lead: DDS (28PM).
Effort by contributors: ZHAW (3PM), ETHZ (2PM), COOL (2PM). Timing: M6-36. So far almost no work exists estimating the reliability or confidence parameters of any food footprint data. The motivation of this task is to better understand statistical robustness within and across LCA databases, and thus to establish error budgets and prioritise improvements. Building on T2.1 and T2.2, and outputs from WP1, we will harmonise project data and other open data sources using a common glossary, and enter the resulting outputs into a high-performance data storage. We will also deduce logical relationships between inputs and outputs using current inventory datasets, supplemented with consortium expertise and AI. This logic will be used to create product system models which can be linked into flexible supply chains, and used to calculate the synthesised best-available knowledge of agricultural and other LCA data. The models and quantitative results produced can support decision making directly, either by providing direct or user-specific LCA results through an open web research portal, or through an interface to the AICA system (T2.5). Contributes to:
D2.5 (M36).
Contributions in WP5
Contributing 2PM to:
T5.5: Develop policy recommendations for selected EU countries
Lead: NILU (3PM).
Effort by contributors: COOL (2PM), NILUAB (1PM), ULEI (1PM), UOXF (0.5PM). Timing: M18-48. The insights from analysis of different improvement domains (waste, diets, sourcing, agri-innovation) and case study analysis (WP3 and WP4) will be contextualised for selected, complementary countries identified as interesting based on the insights gained. This contextualisation will consider the feasibility of food transition pathways with high impact reduction potential, in view of existing national policies, governance, and contexts of food production, consumption and trade. Through the project we will work to facilitate direct conversations between members of the project consortium and key stakeholders, particularly between researchers and: (1) The financial sector (e.g., to help banks develop financing solutions for the food sector’s transition)., (2) Standard setters (e.g., EFRAG, and potentially others such as GRI)., and (3) Companies in the food sector preparing their sustainability reports and facing challenges in assessing risks and impacts within their value chains. We will aim at organizing at least two workshops between project consortium members and decision-makers in these areas to ensure practical, user-informed outputs and visibility / increased impact for project outputs. Contributes to:
D5.4 (M46), D5.5 (M24).
Contributing 1PM to:
T5.4: Standard uptake through engagement with the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group
Lead: CLIMCO (23PM).
Effort by contributors: GLOBE (2PM), NILU (1PM), NILUAB (1PM), ULEI (1PM), UOY (1PM), COOL (1PM). Timing: M1-48. DDMXX this should not appear since we should not re-initailize again in tasks.ts. To support EU disclosure regulation a continuous effort will be dedicated to integrating the insights acquired from this and adjacent portfolio projects into the development relevant sustainability reporting standard setters, including EFRAG and others, e.g. GRI and/or ISSB considering evolving policy contexts. Particular attention will be given to supporting European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), focussing on the sector-specific standards for the food and beverages sector. Two team members from Climate & Company are seconded to EFRAG’s writing team for the sector standards Agriculture, Farming and Fishing as well as Food and Beverages. They will be able to include significant insights from GREENGROCER into shaping the disclosure requirements of the latter. While EFRAG remains a key standard setter to engage, we recommend broadening our engagement to include other relevant standard setters, particularly GRI and potentially ISSB. This broadened approach is especially important considering the EU Commission’s Omnibus Proposal, which increases the relative relevance of voluntary, internationally recognized standards like GRI. Including those stakeholders, too, could enhance the project’s relevance and impact. The development of the Food and Beverages standard relies on leveraging scientific insights into the ESG impacts of food and beverage systems to formulate disclosure requirements that are both ambitious in addressing the needs of people and the planet, while also being practical and feasible for companies to report on. Furthermore, the insights of this project will help to create meaningful and comparable data that is used by financial institutions to make informed investment decisions, necessary for the sustainable transition. Milestones: M5.2 Introduction of GreenGrocer activities to the ESRS working group (M24). In this task we will create an online platform (exact format TBD) that will highlight and help match innovative solutions developed in the project and challenges and information gaps in sustainability disclosure field, especially within regard to the food sector. By explicitly showcasing both solutions and challenges, we can better match innovative approaches with existing needs and help project outputs to take policy needs into consideration more easily and timely. This platform would serve as an interface between solution providers (e.g. researchers from the project consortium) and those that need them (e.g. standard setters). While standard-setters (EFRAG and others) are an important audience, we envision the platform and its content being accessible and informative to a broader group, including companies aiming to improve their sustainability reporting and the financial sector developing financing solutions for the transition. Similarly, we could also showcase relevant solutions beyond the project through the platform. While active engagement by different groups directly on / through the platform would be valuable, the platform can also function as a resource for us to extract insights and share them with relevant contacts. Contributes to:
D5.3 (M22).
This task is linked to the following milestones: MS5.2 (M24).
Contributions in WP6
Contributing 1PM to:
T6.1: Management of financial legal and administrative requirements
Lead: NILU (9PM).
Effort by contributors: NILUAB (2PM), UOY (2PM), ETHZ (1PM), GLOBE (1PM), SEI (1PM), UOXF (1PM), ARBO (1PM), COOL (1PM), CLIMCO (1PM), ULAT (1PM), BUW (1PM), DDS (1PM), ZHAW (1PM), ULEI (0.5PM), INTEC (0.5PM). Timing: M1-49. In this task we will manage and coordinate all financial and administrative activities in the project, including monitoring and maintaining the overall adherence to the financial budgets. T1.1 will deliver a project toolbox to ensure a smooth communication and cooperation between the project partners. This task will forward the EU contribution according to the work plan, the Consortium Agreement and the decisions made by the consortium. The administrative and financial monitoring of the project will be done by the project coordinator in cooperation with the Project Management Board (coordinator and WP leaders).