PARIS — The IIR has just published a new informatory note on the carbon footprint of the cold chain. This note follows a previous informatory note on the role of refrigeration in worldwide nutrition published in March 2020. 

According to IIR estimates, 12% of food produced globally in 2017 was lost due to an insufficient cold chain. A more extensive cold chain would limit the need to increase agricultural production to compensate for these losses and avoid the corresponding CO₂ emissions. This raises the question of whether the additional CO₂ emissions resulting from the implementation of a more extensive cold chain are not greater than the emissions avoided by reducing food losses due to a lack of refrigeration. 

To answer this key question, the IIR has developed an innovative model to calculate CO₂ emissions for each stage of the cold chain and for all countries in the world. This model allows to compare the CO₂ emissions associated with the current global cold chain with those of an "improved" cold chain. The latter corresponds to a reasonable assumption in which the cold chain in all countries is brought to the same level of equipment and performance as that existing in developed countries. The following results are obtained: 

• An improved global cold chain based on these principles would allow a reduction of almost 50% of the CO₂ emissions of the current cold chain. 
• This improved cold chain would also avoid 55% of the food losses attributable to the current cold chain. 

A summary for policymakers outlines the main conclusions and recommendations of this new informatory note and a methodological annex details the assumptions and main calculations made.

These documents are available in both English and French, and can be downloaded at iifiir.org > Publications > IIR Informatory Notes.

Want more HVAC industry news and information? Join The NEWS on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn today!