The Cooperative of Coffee Growers of Cerrado Mineiro (Expocacer) has reported a 10.4 per cent reduction in its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for 2024 compared to its reporting for 2023.
The independent verification of the Cooperative’s GHG emissions has indicated it produced a total of 428.65 metric tonnes of carbon-dioxide equivalent across all three emissions scopes.
Scope 1 emissions cover direct emissions generated from owned sources including the running of vehicles and generators, Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions from the purchase of electricity, while Scope 3 emissions are other indirect emissions such as those produced by business travel and waste management.
Expocacer says upgrading its vehicle fleet from running on fossil fuels to renewable energy and implementing tighter controls over logistics and energy processes are two key practices that have fostered the huge GHG reduction.
Management of GHG emissions is part of Expocacer’s broader sustainability agenda, ECO by Expocacer, which is recognised by the Global Coffee Platform.
“The inventory is an essential tool for understanding our main emission sources, planning mitigation actions, and acting strategically in the face of climate change,” says Farlla Gomes, Technical and Sustainability Manager at Expocacer.
“This verification allows us not only to measure, but also to prove that our climate commitments are tangible and auditable.”
Expocacer says its verification of GHG emissions makes it one of the few cooperatives in Brazil that publicly discloses its carbon data with verified technical backing, and the reporting of this data will help it stay in line with the enforcement of regulations like the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
Gomes says Expocacer’s goal of reducing GHG is not necessarily aligned solely to meet international sustainability regulations.
“Our goal goes beyond offsetting. We work to structurally reduce GHG emissions by integrating good agricultural practices, technological innovation, clean energy, and regenerative solutions. Every traceable bag of coffee from Expocacer carries with it a measurable commitment to the planet’s future,” she says.
“We are helping to build a new standard for the Brazilian cooperative movement. Actions like this strengthen our global credibility and show that it is possible to grow sustainably, with social and environmental responsibility.”
