2 million in funding for in-depth research into agriculture’s climate impact as part of Valio’s Food 2.0 Project

Valio is proud to be part of a groundbreaking research project, ‘Towards Climate Positive Agriculture’ (CARBON+), aimed at understanding and reducing the climate impact of agriculture. Led by the University of Helsinki, the project will investigate direct greenhouse gas emissions and climate-cooling aerosols. It has received €2 million in funding from Business Finland and partners. The project is part of Valio’s Food 2.0 initiative, which focuses on developing innovative and sustainable solutions for food production.

As the climate impact of food production is significant, it is important to achieve climate neutrality in agriculture and the food industry. While the climate impact of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture is better established, the contribution of atmospheric particles, or aerosols, to the total climate impact of agriculture remains less clear.

Aerosols originate both naturally and from human activity. They cool the climate by influencing the formation and properties of clouds and further the solar radiation reaching Earth’s surface. In other words, aerosols offset part of the warming effects of greenhouse gas emissions. However, the processes behind aerosol formation and their intricate interactions remain shrouded in uncertainty.

“This uncertainty means that the total contribution of agriculture to climate warming is likely to have been overestimated. Assessments of the climate impact of agriculture must consider both greenhouse gases and aerosols,” says the project leader, Academician Markku Kulmala of the University of Helsinki’s Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR).

Reviewing the total climate impact of crops and livestock

Coordinated by the University of Helsinki, the three-year research project ‘Towards climate positive agriculture’ (CARBON+) will be launched in January 2025. It will shed light on the formation of climate-cooling aerosols in agriculture and strive to identify the total climate impact of crops and livestock.

A collaborative effort toward sustainability

Valio’s role in CARBON+ aligns with our commitment to sustainability and creating a future food system based on circular economy principles.

“The research project seeks to promote climate neutrality in agriculture and the food industry, which will help mitigate climate change and increase the export value of the Finnish food industry,” notes Development Manager Virpi Kling of Valio.

The project is part of Valio’s Food 2.0 initiative, which focuses on developing innovative and sustainable solutions for food production. With €1.2 million in research funding obtained from Business Finland and additional support from collaboration partners, CARBON+ has raised a total of €2 million. Industry partners for CARBON+ include the food companies Atria, HK Foods and Fazer, the technology companies Gasmet, Airmodus, MegaSense and Airel, as well as Climate Analytics Finland. Research partners in this project headed by the University of Helsinki include the Natural Resources Institute Finland and the Finnish Meteorological Institute.