Olives without a footprint… The carbon neutrality revolution starts from the tree.

During one of my visits to the olive groves in Sinai, a sixty-year-old farmer stood next to an ancient olive tree and told me: "This tree has witnessed three generations of my family… but today it struggles to adapt to a heat it has never known before."

And has that affected olive oil production? He said: "The climate has changed… and production has changed with it."

This conversation summarizes a global crisis affecting the olive sector, pushing producers towards new solutions, most notably carbon-neutral olive oil production.

First: How does climate change threaten olive and olive oil production?

• Rising temperatures reduce productivity: Olive trees can withstand drought, but not extreme heatwaves. Spain, the world's largest producer, recorded a drop of over 50% in olive oil production in 2023 due to an unprecedented heatwave.
• Disruption of the flowering and fruiting cycle: Climate fluctuations disrupt the flowering cycle, which reduces the amount of oil extracted. Olive farmers in Tunisia have noticed significant variations between seasons due to flowering disruption.
• Spread of new pests: High temperatures contribute to the spread of pests like the "olive fruit fly." Italy recorded significant losses in some regions due to a higher-than-usual spread of the fly.
• Water scarcity and rising irrigation costs: In Morocco, many farms have been forced to reduce cultivated areas due to water scarcity.

Second: Why has carbon-neutral olive oil become a necessity?

• The olive sector relies on agriculture, which is one of the sectors most affected by carbon emissions.
• The shift towards carbon neutrality has become a means to protect the environment… and to protect the future of olive oil itself.
• European companies have noticed that consumers now prefer olive oil bearing the "carbon-neutral" seal, even if it comes at a higher price.

Third: Global and Arab companies that have obtained carbon neutrality certifications

Global companies:

• Carbonell – Spain: One of the first brands to announce the production of carbon-neutral olive oil lines, through investment in afforestation projects and emissions offsetting.
• Borges – Spain: It relies on solar energy and recycles olive waste (pomace) to reduce emissions, and has obtained Carbon Neutral certification for several of its products.
• Deoleo (owner of Bertolli) – Spain/Italy: It obtained PAS 2060 certification after a full audit of its production chain, and is the largest global company to adopt a carbon neutrality strategy in the olive oil sector.
• Cargill – United States: In the vegetable oil sector, it announced the production of carbon-neutral oils by reducing emissions in soybean farms.

Arab Companies:

• Oliva International – Morocco: It relies on organic farming and modern irrigation techniques, and works to produce low-emission olive oil, having obtained international certification for the carbon footprint of agricultural products.
• Al-Zaytouna Jordanian Company – Jordan: It implements sustainable farming practices and uses pruning waste as natural fertilizer, and is working to complete the requirements for carbon neutrality certification for its products.

Fourth: How do olive oil companies obtain carbon neutrality certification?

• Measuring the carbon footprint for each stage: From olive cultivation to pressing, bottling, and transportation. An Italian company published a report showing that the production of one liter of olive oil generates 2.5 kg of carbon dioxide (CO₂) before reduction measures.
• Reducing emissions through sustainable agricultural practices: Such as drip irrigation and the use of solar energy. A farm in Jordan reduced energy consumption by 30% after installing solar panels to power the olive press.
• Offsetting remaining emissions: Through afforestation projects or purchasing carbon credits. Carbonell invests in planting thousands of trees to offset its emissions.
• Obtaining certification from an independent body: Such as Carbon Trust, PAS 2060, or ISO 14067 certifications.

Fifth: How Olive Oil Achieves Carbon Neutrality

• On the Farm: Relying on organic farming, reducing chemical fertilizers, and improving water management. Farms in Palestine use olive pruning waste as natural fertilizer.
• At the Mill: Operating mills with solar energy and reusing olive pomace as biofuel. Mills in Greece use pomace to generate heat for production lines.
• In Packaging and Transport: Using lightweight glass packaging and reducing transport distances. Saudi companies rely on local olive oil production to reduce emissions from imports.

Sixth: How Consumers Can Identify Carbon-Neutral Olive Oil

• Official Seal on Packaging: Such as "Carbon Neutral" or "Climate Neutral". Borges olive oil carries the Carbon Neutral seal on some of its products.
• QR Code Displaying Emissions Details: Italian companies allow consumers to view a full report on the carbon footprint via a QR code.
• Verifiable Certificate Number: The Carbon Trust website allows searching for products by certificate number.

Seventh: Impact of Carbon-Neutral Olive Oil on Human Health

• Higher Quality: Sustainable farming means purer fruits and oil richer in polyphenols.
• Free from Pollutants: Clean production processes reduce the likelihood of chemical contamination.
• A healthy environment means healthy food: Reducing emissions improves air and water quality.
• Raising consumer awareness: Choosing carbon-neutral oil means supporting a clean environment and safe food.

Conclusion

The olive sector is not just a food industry; it's a heritage, a culture, and an economy. With escalating climate change, transitioning to carbon-neutral olive oil has become a necessity to protect this heritage and ensure its continuity. Choosing this type of oil is not merely a healthy decision, but a conscious step towards a more sustainable future for humanity and the planet.

‍