Project Number
CCC 2017

Project Title
Confronting climate change initiative

Project Leader
Blignaut, A

Institution
Private

Team Members
Vienings, E
Farrel, D
van Schalkwyk, E
de Kock, L

Project Description
The South African fruit and wine industries are heavily dependent on supply to export markets for their economic viability. Globalised supply-chains and production systems are being scrutinised because of their high energy intensity and as significant contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions. How the fruit and wine industries respond to this scrutiny directly impacts their long-term competitiveness.
Retailer programs that reflect this scrutiny include “buy local” campaigns, “responsible sourcing” programs and standards schemes requiring energy-use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reporting. The policy and regulatory environment in South Africa has also evolved in response to concerns over GHG emissions and climate change, the most notable recent addition being the impending Carbon Tax legislation that represents specific challenges and opportunities for the agriculture sector. The CCC initiative was established in 2008 by the fruit and wine industries to provide the necessary tools and effective skills transfer to
the industry members to be able to independently measure and report their carbon footprint using an internationally accepted protocol and be in a position to implement carbon reduction practices that incorporate effective mitigation and adaptive strategies. The overall objective of the Initiative is to assist the fruit and wine industries in enhancing their competitive position, to proactively protect market access, to proactively respond to the challenges of climate change and to enhance the sustainability of farms, packhouses, wineries and the industry as a whole.
This is accomplished by ensuring that the fruit and wine industries are: well informed about relevant issues through a centralized information and training resource; equipped to able to measure its carbon footprint and benchmark it against best practices; positioned to implement carbon reduction practices that incorporate effective; mitigation and adaptive strategies to meet the challenges of climate change. positioned as market leaders in relation to their global competitors

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