TINE part of group launching agricultural climate calculator

The calculator is intended to give farmers a better tool for calculating climate emissions on their farms and to implement good climate practices in the future.

There are 17 organizations behind the calculator, which has taken three years to develop. The tool will be used to calculate the climate footprint and register emission cuts on the individual farm.

Project manager Tony Barman said that, while the tool is not perfect, there was no point in waiting for a ‘perfect solution’ to be developed.

The goal, according to Barman, is to cut emissions, while maintaining food production in Norway.

No one notices climate change more than farmers, Norway’s Minister of Climate and Environment Sveinung Rotevatn said.

He said the country, as individuals and as food producers, has a common responsibility to succeed in developing in the right direction. And he warned against hiding behind the argument that there are other countries that have far greater emissions than Norway.

“Even if China were to cut all emissions, the world would still have a climate challenge,”​ Rotevatn said.

“It is the sum of what we all do that will create the results. Norwegian agriculture has committed to reducing emissions by 5m tonnes of CO₂​ by 2030. It is important that this is done.”​

State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Widar Skogan, emphasized that Norwegian food production will not be reduced, but made more sustainable.

He praised Norwegian agriculture for being at the forefront technologically, and pointed to the climate calculator as an illustration of this.

The chairman of the board of TINE, Marit Haugen, participated in a panel debate during the launch and used the opportunity to thank all those who have participated in the work of developing the calculator.

She emphasized it will be an important climate tool for farmers, but pointed out that work on sustainability and climate is not just limited to farmers and the calculator.

“At TINE, we are responsible for a large value chain. Our dairies are now switching to 85% renewable energy, we work with biogas - or KUKRAFT as we call it - and we are constantly working to develop more environmentally-friendly packaging. Among other things, we have launched a sour cream cup in cardboard. And even if we do not succeed in everything, we do not give up, but try again. That's how we have to work all the time to get better,”​ Haugen said.