Decarbonizing the Food and Beverages Industry: A Critical and Systematic Review of Developments, Sociotechnical Systems and Policy Options

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 143 (2021) 110856

35 Pages Posted: 24 Mar 2021

See all articles by Benjamin K. Sovacool

Benjamin K. Sovacool

Science Policy Research Unit; Boston University - Department of Earth and Environment; Department of Business Technology & Development

Morgan Bazilian

Colorado School of Mines

Steven Griffiths

Khalifa University

Jinsoo Kim

Hangyang University

Aoife Foley

affiliation not provided to SSRN

David Rooney

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Date Written: March 8, 2021

Abstract

From farm to fork, food and beverage consumption can have significant negative impacts on energy consumption, water consumption, climate change, and other environmental subsystems. The paper presents a comprehensive, critical and systematic review of more than 350,000 sources of evidence, and a short list of 701 studies on the topic of greenhouse gas emissions from the food and beverage industry. Utilizing a sociotechnical lens that examines food supply and agriculture, manufacturing, retail and distribution, and consumption and use, the review identifies the most carbon-intensive processes in the industry, as well as the corresponding energy and carbon “footprints”. It discusses multiple current and emerging options and practices for decarbonization, including 78 potentially transformative technologies. It examines the benefits to sector decarbonization—including energy and carbon savings, cost savings, and other co-benefits related to sustainability or health—as well as barriers across financial and economic, institutional and managerial, and behavioral and consumer dimensions. It lastly discusses how financing, business models, and policy can be harnessed to help overcome these barriers, and identifies a set of research gaps.

Keywords: Climate change, Climate mitigation, Food and drinks, Industrial decarbonization, Net-zero, Energy policy, Food processing, Food manufacturing, Food systems, Sustainability transitions, Innovation

Suggested Citation

Sovacool, Benjamin K. and Bazilian, Morgan and Griffiths, Steven and Kim, Jinsoo and Foley, Aoife and Rooney, David, Decarbonizing the Food and Beverages Industry: A Critical and Systematic Review of Developments, Sociotechnical Systems and Policy Options (March 8, 2021). Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 143 (2021) 110856, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3800308

Benjamin K. Sovacool (Contact Author)

Science Policy Research Unit ( email )

Falmer, Brighton BN1 9SL
United Kingdom

HOME PAGE: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/profiles/373957

Boston University - Department of Earth and Environment ( email )

Boston, MA
United States

Department of Business Technology & Development ( email )

Nordre Ringgade 1
Aarhus C, DK-8000
Denmark

HOME PAGE: http://pure.au.dk/portal/en/persons/id(fca10105-c4eb-4f0f-99a7-a354a8a8a47a).html

Morgan Bazilian

Colorado School of Mines ( email )

Golden, CO 80401
United States

Steven Griffiths

Khalifa University ( email )

Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates

Jinsoo Kim

Hangyang University ( email )

Korea, Republic of (South Korea)

Aoife Foley

affiliation not provided to SSRN

David Rooney

affiliation not provided to SSRN

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