Building a voluntary carbon credit market dedicated to the fruit and vegetable sector.
This is the idea behind the European project GECO2 – Green Economy and CO2, which will be presented on Wednesday, September 8 at Macfrut in Rimini, during an event at the stand of the cooperative Apofruit Italia, attended by the Regional Councillor Alessio Mammi.
The agri-food sector, one of the most affected by disasters caused by global warming, is on the front line in the fight against climate change. Thanks to new and more sustainable farming practices, it is possible to offset part of greenhouse gas emissions by capturing and storing CO2 in soils and biomass. What is still lacking is the ability to measure and enhance these activities carried out by farmers, selling the resulting credits to other companies interested in achieving carbon neutrality and improving the environmental profile of their products.
This is the rationale behind GECO2, an Interreg Italy-Croatia project that brings together several Adriatic regions to test environmentally friendly practices, improve soil management, and reduce CO2 emissions, with the goal of creating a voluntary market for equivalent carbon dioxide (CO2e) credits/debts based on the agricultural sector.
The project focuses on the Adriatic regions of Italy and Croatia, where the eight partners operate under the coordination of lead partner Arpae Emilia-Romagna: Legacoop Romagna, the Regions of Marche and Molise, the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari, Rera sd (Coordination and Development Agency of Split-Dalmatia County), Agrra-Zadar, and the Dubrovnik-Neretva Region. The large cooperative Apofruit Italia is taking part in the pilot project by making available the expertise of its technicians and members, while coordination is supported by Innovacoop, the regional cooperative system’s company dedicated to promoting innovation and internationalization.
“If a farmer could measure and monetize CO2 storage activities, they would be encouraged to further commit to the fight against climate change,” says project manager Antonio Cinti. “Processing companies would become more aware of their emissions and could use the credits as a powerful marketing tool to increase the added value of their products. Finally, local communities would also benefit from better environmental conditions and greater availability of more eco-friendly products, both fresh and processed. We expect advantageous results for everyone.”
Participation details
The event can be attended either in person (exclusively for those holding a valid Green Pass, shown via smartphone or paper copy) or online via the Zoom platform.
To receive the Zoom link or to download the online ticket, please write to: c.smecca@legacoopromagna.it
Download the GECO2 Event Program at Macfrut.
