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Climate Score

The Climate Score quantifies the total climate impact of food products by converting different greenhouse gas emissions into a single metric: CO₂ equivalents (CO₂e).

What is Climate Friendly Food?​

Understanding what makes food "climate friendly" requires looking at the scientific evidence for food systems' impact on climate change and establishing clear thresholds for reduction.

Scientific Foundation​

According to Crippa et al. (2021) published in Nature, food systems are responsible for one-third of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions (34% of global GHG emissions).

Key Research Findings:

SourceCurrent EmissionsTargetRequired Reduction
Eat-Lancet Commission8.5 - 13.7 Gt CO₂-eq/year5 Gt CO₂-eq/year41-64%
IPCC AR617 Gt CO₂-eq/year (2018)Within safe limits~50%
Vermeulen et al.9.8-16.9 Gt CO₂-eq/year5 Gt CO₂-eq/year50-64%

The IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land highlights the "Flexitarian" diet from Springmann et al. as the minimal possible diet scenario that keeps emissions within safe limits by 2050, representing half of the emissions compared to "business as usual" diet.

The 50% Threshold​

We define any meal that is 50% below our current emissions as "climate friendly"

Rationale:

  • Science-based target: Aligned with IPCC and Eat-Lancet recommendations
  • Achievable goal: Europe expected to reach this target within the next 12 years
  • Pioneering standard: Leading products and restaurants should aim to reduce 50% of their emissions in the next 2-3 years
  • Immediate action: Already today everyone can provide a climate-friendly option

What the Climate Score Measures​

The CO₂ equivalent calculation encompasses all greenhouse gas emissions throughout the food supply chain:

Emission Types​

GasSourceGlobal Warming Potential
CO₂Energy use, transportation1× (baseline)
CH₄ (Methane)Livestock digestion, rice paddies28×
N₂O (Nitrous Oxide)Fertilizers, soil emissions265×
HFCsRefrigeration systemsVaries (100-10,000×)

Supply Chain Stages​

Emissions are tracked across the entire supply chain:

  1. Agricultural Production

    • Fertilizer and pesticide production
    • Farm machinery and irrigation
    • Land use change (deforestation)

  2. Animal Farming

    • Enteric fermentation (digestion)
    • Manure management
    • Feed production and transport

  3. Processing

    • Manufacturing energy use
    • Packaging production
    • Food waste during processing

  4. Transportation

    • Farm to processing facility
    • Distribution to retail
    • Mode of transport (air, ship, truck)

  5. Storage

    • Refrigeration and freezing
    • Warehouse energy use

How We Calculate​

Average CO₂ Baseline​

We carefully calculate the average CO₂ consumption based on our database of millions of products. This serves as our comparison baseline.

For detailed methodology, see:

Calculation Process​

Step 1: Emission Identification All greenhouse gas emissions are identified and measured throughout the supply chain.

Step 2: GWP Conversion Different gases are converted to CO₂ equivalents using Global Warming Potential (GWP) factors:

CO₂e = CO₂ + (CH₄ × 28) + (N₂O × 265) + ...

Step 3: Aggregation All converted emissions are summed to determine the total CO₂e footprint per functional unit.

Step 4: Allocation When processes yield multiple outputs, emissions are allocated based on:

  • Economic value
  • Mass
  • Energy content

Step 5: Comparison

  1. Calculate total CO₂ for the food product
  2. Normalize by amount using Daily Food Units (DFU)
  3. Calculate ratio comparing product to average
  4. Determine percentage of how much better (or worse) the product is

For the calculation formula, see:

Rating System​

The Climate Score uses a 5-cloud rating system where A is best (5 clouds) and E is worst (1 cloud):

RatingCloudsMeaningCO₂eq/DFU Threshold
A☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️At least 50% better than average< 1,947g
B☁️☁️☁️☁️Better than average< 3,894g
C☁️☁️☁️Worse than average< 7,787g
D☁️☁️Twice the average impact< 15,574g
E☁️Four times the average impact> 15,574g
Climate-Friendly Target

Rating A indicates the food is within the limits of a climate-friendly diet. Rating B means you're on track toward climate-friendly eating.

Impact Factors​

What Makes Food High-Impact?​

Animal Products:

  • Beef: ~15-30 kg CO₂e/kg (methane from digestion)
  • Lamb: ~20-25 kg CO₂e/kg
  • Cheese: ~8-12 kg CO₂e/kg (dairy production)

Transport Method:

  • Air freight: 50× more emissions than shipping
  • Air-freighted asparagus from Peru vs local

Production Method:

  • Heated greenhouses: 3-10× field production
  • Conventional vs organic varies by crop

Deforestation:

  • Land use change can dominate footprint
  • Soy, palm oil, beef from deforested land

What Makes Food Low-Impact?​

Plant-Based Foods:

  • Legumes: 0.5-1.5 kg CO₂e/kg
  • Seasonal vegetables: 0.2-0.5 kg CO₂e/kg
  • Grains: 0.5-1.0 kg CO₂e/kg

Production Factors:

  • Local, seasonal production
  • Efficient farming practices
  • Renewable energy use

Example: Comparing Options​

FoodCO₂e per 100gCO₂e per DFURating
Beef steak2,100g5,250gE
Chicken breast450g900gC
Tofu150g450gB
Lentils80g160gA

Implications​

For Consumers​

  • Choose meals marked as climate-friendly (50% below average)
  • Even small changes make a measurable difference
  • Every climate-friendly meal contributes to global targets

For Restaurants and Food Services​

  • Aim for 50% emissions reduction within 2-3 years
  • Offer climate-friendly options on every menu
  • Use ratings to communicate environmental benefits to guests

For Food Producers​

  • Product development should target less than 50% of current average
  • Innovation in sustainable ingredients and processes
  • Transparent environmental labeling builds trust

Timeline and Targets​

  • Current: Climate-friendly options available today
  • 2-3 years: Pioneering businesses achieve 50% reduction
  • 12 years: European food system expected to reach 50% reduction
  • 2050: Global food system within planetary boundaries (5 Gt target)

Data Quality​

Climate Score calculations are based on:

  • Primary Data: Direct measurements from producers
  • Secondary Data: Published LCA studies and databases
  • Modeled Data: Scientific models for gaps

Data uncertainty is communicated where relevant.

See Also​