New Agri-footprint FLAG version compliant with the SBTi FLAG Guidelines
Supporting organizations in setting FLAG targets and analyzing their Greenhouse Gas inventory
Blonk developed the Agri-footprint database to provide a thorough and consistent life cycle inventory (LCI) database, which is required to advance sustainability in the agriculture and food sector. Agri-footprint covers data on food, feed, and agricultural intermediate products and facilitates transparency and enables key actors in the food system to reduce their environmental impact. The database is known for its high-quality data and global scale, and is used by experts working on environmental assessments of the agricultural value chain. Our data experts are always looking for ways to enrich the database and keep it valuable for its users. Therefore, we are proud to announce a new version of Agri-footprint which complies with the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) Forest Land and Agriculture Guidance (FLAG). Agri-footprint FLAG will help the increasingly large group of organizations which set FLAG targets in analyzing their Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory.
Agri-footprint FLAG and SBTi FLAG Guidance
Agri-footprint FLAG has been developed to facilitate users analyzing their GHG inventory to set FLAG targets as described in the SBTi FLAG Guidance (more information below). Our data experts adapted the database to make it compliant with the FLAG Guidance. These adaptions include:
Land Use Change (LUC) impact is calculated using linear discounting, as described in the SBTi FLAG guidance
In contrast, the Agri-footprint 6.3 Land Use Change (LUC) emissions during cultivation are calculated using equal 20-year amortization, using PAS2050 methodology as described by PEF/GFLI standards. The difference in LUC accounting results in differences in LUC impact between the Agri-footprint 6.3 and Agri-footprint FLAG. More information can be found in the updated overarching Agri-footprint methodology reports.
GHG emissions from Land Management are reported separately
Land Management emissions include all direct emissions that take place on agricultural fields or farms (plant and start material cultivation and animal husbandry). The definition of Land Management emissions from the GHG Protocol Land Sector & Removal Guidance is applied. Please note that this guidance is still in draft form (final version expected in 2023), but it is expected that the final version will be aligned with the SBTi FLAG methodology.
All our clients who committed to SBTi (or are in the process of submitting targets) need to make a split between their FLAG GHG inventory and non-FLAG emissions. This new version of Agri-footprint facilitates this exercise. Companies have always used Agri-footprint to make hot-spot analysis and gain insights into leverage points for GHG reduction, and now with Agri-footprint FLAG they can use the database to develop reduction strategies for FLAG emissions as well.”
The SBTi FLAG Guidance provides a standard method for companies in land-intensive sectors to set science-based targets that include land-based emission reductions and removals. The forest, land and agriculture sector is one of the industries at highest risk from the impact of climate change, but it is also a significant source of emissions. It represents nearly a quarter of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – the largest emitting sector after energy. The SBTi FLAG Guidance offers a common, robust, science-based understanding on how much and how quickly a company needs to cut its land-related emissions in line with the Paris Agreement’s goal to limit global warming to 1.5°C.
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License options
You can access Agri-footprint FLAG in various data types and formats.
Research, Commercial, and Developer licenses are available for Agri-footprint FLAG.
If you are within your license period for Agri-footprint 6, you are entitled to a 50% discount on your Agri-footprint FLAG license.
Comparison Agri-footprint 6.3 and Agri-footprint FLAG
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Jixin Liu
Please contact Megan to learn more about Agri-footprint FLAG and the available licensing options.