One year has passed since Fonterra unveiled its climate roadmap, and the cooperative is making remarkable progress. It is on track to achieve its climate targets and has successfully eliminated coal from its North Island manufacturing. This significant milestone marks a turning point in Fonterra's commitment to sustainability.

Fonterra's Climate Roadmap: A Path to a Greener Future

Turning Off the Coal Boiler: A Milestone in Emissions Reduction

This month, Fonterra turned off the coal boiler at its Waitoa site, which was its last coal boiler in the North Island. This action is a clear indication of the company's determination to reduce emissions and meet its climate targets. By eliminating coal, Fonterra is taking a significant step towards a more sustainable future.The Climate Roadmap released in November 2023 outlined Fonterra's emissions reduction targets, and the team has been working hard to achieve them. Director of Sustainability Charlotte Rutherford is particularly proud of the progress made so far. The SBTi validation, the efforts to provide tools and services for farmers, and the decarbonization of manufacturing sites are all significant achievements.

Renewable Energy Projects: Reducing Emissions and Making a Difference

This year alone, three renewable energy projects at Edendale, Hautapu, and Clandeboye have reduced emissions by a total of 62,500 tonnes. This is equivalent to taking 27,750 cars off the road. These projects are a testament to Fonterra's commitment to reducing emissions through renewable energy.Reducing emissions through on-farm efficiencies is also a priority for the cooperative. The team is working hard to empower farmers with the tools, insights, and support they need to make meaningful changes. Over the past 12 months, farmer-facing teams have been working on a range of tools and services, including targeted conversations to understand the future and mapping tools to identify woody vegetation for carbon sequestration.As Fonterra moves closer to 2030, the impact of these tools and services will begin to be seen in the results. The company continues to invest in innovative technologies and solutions to set itself up for success.

Other Milestones: A Year of Progress and Innovation

The Science-Based Target initiative (SBTi) validated Fonterra's near-term targets, demonstrating the company's commitment to science-based emissions reduction.93 per cent of Fonterra New Zealand farms now have Farm Environment Plans, up from 85 per cent 12 months ago. This shows the company's ongoing efforts to improve environmental performance on farms.Continued investment in AgriZeroNZ has led to $34 million in emissions reduction technologies and R&D. This includes Ruminant BioTech's methane inhibitor, BioLumic's UV seed treatment, ArkeaBio's methane vaccine, and Hoofprint Biome's gut health supplements.In an industry first, Fonterra launched the NZMP Carbon Footprinter emissions calculator in February. This tool helps customers understand the average emissions of major New Zealand-sourced NZMP products, including the emissions from shipping to key destinations around the world. Since launch, there have been over 4,000 users of the tool."It's likely we will see significant gains towards our on-farm emissions intensity target as we get closer to 2030, but it is pleasing to see in this first year we have made good progress as we continue to collaborate to achieve the best outcomes for our farmer shareholders, country, and customers," said Rutherford.