Green claims & PEF: how can metrics foster or destroy sustainability? A focus on the food & textile sectors
Soon, the European Commission is expected to reveal their proposal for a “Regulation on Substantiating Green Claims based on the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF)”. By the end of 2023, the Commission will also release a sustainable food systems law, including principles underpinning a sustainability label.
Labels like this are crucial to help consumers decide what they buy when they are shopping. However, a label should have a score based on the indicators that reflect the complexities of the agrifood system (and covers ‘external’ costs like pesticide use, impact on biodiversity and climate, animal welfare and more). Only then will it help consumers who buy food supporting a better environment and animal welfare. There are some alternatives being developed, the Planet Score is one of them.
Because of this, on the 26th October, an online public event will be organized to different economic, political and research actors to explore the implications of the methodological choices around the environmental labelling of food and textile products. The event will be interpreted in French, English and German.
Programme
What are the different metrics for the environmental assessment of food and textile products that exist today? What are their advantages and disadvantages? Why do sectors dependent on bio-based materials pose more methodological challenges?
Panelists
-Xavier Poux, chercheur associé de l’IDDRI
-Sabine Bonnot, présidente de l’Itab
-Philippe Schiesser, director of Ecoeff Lab, expert in CSR et eco-design
Q&R
What will the proposed regulation on environmental claims change for the agricultural and food production sectors? Which environmental assessment methods do you think are relevant? Why do you think this is so?
Panelists
-Silvia Schmidt, IFOAM Organics Europe
-Benoit Drouin, farmer & vice-president of Les Fermiers de Loué
-Thibaut Di Maria, Ecotone
Q&R
What are the specific challenges of the textile sector?
What are consumers’ expectations regarding environmental claims? Why should we favor one method or another? How can this contribute to a transition towards more sustainable diets?
Panelists
-Representative of Make the Label Count (TBC)
-Emma Calvert, BEUC
-Karine Viel, Monoprix
Q&R
What are the next major legislative steps at European level?
What is the situation in the different Member States?
Is environmental labeling a political or technical issue? Why is this so?
Panelists
-Malte Gallée, Member of the European Parliament Green-EFA
-Petros Kokkalis, Member of the European Parliament The Left
-Emery Jacquillat , President of Entreprises à Mission, President of CAMIF
-Representative of DG ENVI (TBC)
-Member of Bundestag (TBC)
Q&R