New sobriety: Drinking less wine to save the planet?

FranceAgriMer, Établissement national des produits de l’agriculture et de la mer, 93555 Montreuil Cedex, France

Abstract

In 2015, the Paris agreements set a global framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to keep the global temperature increase below 2 degrees between the beginning of the industrial era and 2050. Agriculture, which accounts for 25% of global CO2 emissions, plays a major role in achieving these goals. To this end, the European Parliament has adopted the "Farm to fork" strategy, which aims to reduce both CO2 emissions and the use of pesticides for food products. In order to meet these targets, average individual emissions should be 2 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year, knowing that, for example, today, on average, each French person emits 9.5 tCO2/year. Citizens who wish to contribute and reduce their carbon footprint can act on different emission items: their travel, their food, their housing, their purchases of goods and services. In France, on average, food accounts for a quarter of individual emissions. Knowing that the average impact of a standard 10-12cl glass of wine is around 180 grams of CO2 and that the target per meal should be 500 grams of CO2e, what will be the trade-offs for consumers who are aware of these issues ? Will consumers decide to limit their consumption of wine in the face of environmental issues, as some already do with meat? Will communication shift from the dangers of alcohol on health to the environmental impact of wine consumption, in a "one health" approach? Faced with this risk, the wine industry's response and its consumer information strategy will be crucial. Players will have to provide information on their assets in terms of sustainability (environmental, economic and social) while adapting to new legislation and consumer demands.