IFOAM Organics Europe has welcomed news that the European Commission is to postpone publication of the Substantiating Green Claims Directive, its regulatory initiative to create a universal methodology for measuring and substantiating environmental claims across the EU.
The organic group says the delay will allow a re-evaluation of Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) models such as the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology, which consumer and environment groups have warned is ‘unfit’ to assess agri-food products.
Jan Plagge, IFOAM Organics Europe’s president, said: “Fighting greenwashing, providing meaningful information to consumers on the impact of the food products they buy, and incentivising producers to adopt truly sustainable practices, are essential to transition towards sustainable food systems. But these objectives cannot be achieved on the basis of the PEF methodology that disregards the use of pesticides and the impact of different production methods on biodiversity, also failing to consider the complexity of agri-food systems”.
Eduardo Cuoco, IFOAM Organics Europe’s director comments: “The Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methods are not designed to reflect the reality of complex agri-food systems in a multi-dimensional way. The PEF does not properly consider the use of inputs like pesticides, negative and positive externalities of different agriculture production methods on biodiversity, soil quality, deforestation nor planetary boundaries. IFOAM Organics Europe supports the idea of protecting consumers from deceiving green claims on food but believes this should be properly discussed. The impact of inputs used should be considered while providing meaningful information to consumers should be part of the assessment.
“IFOAM Organics Europe supports the idea of protecting consumers from deceiving green claims on food but believes this should be properly discussed. The impact of inputs used should be considered while providing meaningful information to consumers should be part of the assessment”
Eric Gall, IFOAM Organics Europe’s deputy director, adds: “Different methodologies point towards different desirable futures for the agriculture and food sector, and this should be openly discussed. The EU needs an open debate on the best methodologies to provide detailed, fair, and unbiased information to consumers on the environmental impacts of different methods of production of agri-food products – at the same time considering the key concerns of European citizens and the priorities of the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies.