Mitigation and adaptation strategies for a carbon neutral grape and wine sector

Abstract

The Australian grape and wine sector has committed to reducing its carbon footprint by an active mitigation policy, concentrating in the shorter-term future on reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions. Life cycle analyses for the sector indicate that carbon emission from grape growing and winemaking are small at 17% and 19% respectively; the major contribution of 68% is to do with packaging and transport (Scope 3), primarily involving use of glass bottles. Diesel use in vineyards is 41% of emissions and may be replaced with difficulty by vehicle electrification and/or hydrogen power. Replacement of winery grid-electricity use will account for 81% of emissions, with conversion to solar currently favoured. Opportunities exist to convert vineyard and winery biomass waste streams using pyrolysis to energy and biochar, the latter a form of sequestered carbon. The remaining large carbon emission relates to traditional use of glass packaging, with inherent weight and volume inefficiency increasing transport costs. Alternate packaging with lower carbon footprint and enhanced recyclability offers promise. The retail sector has opportunities to engage in “replace, recycle, or re-use” practices to reduce this footprint. The wine sector shares an ethical responsibility to mitigate climate change, not least because of impacts on grape and wine production.