Strategies for Achieving Net Zero Emissions in the Beverage Industry:A Case Study from Thailand's Carbon Footprint Analysis

Abstract

Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are required to provide detailed accounting of their country's greenhouse gas emissions from various activities for reporting to the UNFCCC secretariat. The latest assessment of Thailand's greenhouse gas emissions shows that the energy sector is the largest emitter, followed by the agricultural sector, the industrial processes and product use sector, and the waste sector. The global beverage industry is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, with the majority of emissions stemming from raw material procurement, production processes, and transportation activities. The production process, in particular, relies heavily on resources and energy from fossil fuels. In the case of alcoholic beverages, fermentation by-products generate a substantial amount of carbon dioxide emissions during production. Various methods and strategies have been proposed to mitigation greenhouse gas emissions in the beverage manufacturing industry, including the use of bioenergy as a substitute for fossil fuels. Installing solar cell to reduce electricity consumption aligns with energy efficiency and energy saving policies. Waste management based on circular economy principles, along with expanding forest areas for carbon sequestration in line with carbon capture and storage guidelines are key strategies. These methods support the goals of carbon neutrality and achieving net zero emissions in the future.