According to data compiled by the Dairy Energy Savings (DES), a company set up to run the dairy sector Climate Change Agreement (CCA), in the last year UK dairy processors have also achieved a 2% reduction in carbon emissions and a 2% improvement in energy efficiency.
The commitment to reduce carbon emissions forms part of a wider dairy industry ambition to work on sustainability initiatives, such as the Dairy Roadmap, Dairy 2020, Defra’s Green Food Project and the International Dairy Federation’s Global Dairy Agenda for Action.
DES chairman Gerry Sweeney said: “The CCA has been a great success and these results show yet again that the scheme continues to drive improvements in the dairy sector.”
“These latest figures show that the industry continues to take its environmental responsibilities very seriously and is maintaining momentum in pushing for further improvements.”
Meanwhile, Mr Sweeney said that the Government’s decision to extend the CCA scheme “is good news for the industry and good news for the environment”, adding that “whilst some details of the scheme are still under review, I feel confident that we will see a scheme that can provide a catalyst to further improvements, whilst leaving the industry with the flexibility to invest.”
Carys Matthews