Trade and Environment Briefings: Product Carbon Footprint Standards - Policy Briefing 9

Climate change poses an enormous challenge for farmers in developing countries. In addition to adapting to changing climatic conditions, food exporters are increasingly being asked by retailers to measure and reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of their products. As a result, new market requirements have emerged, mainly in the form of standards on ‘product carbon footprinting’ (PCFs). While PCF standards can be applied across many different sectors, they have gained significant traction in the agri-food sector.