Did you know? In 2003, Champagne was the first wine-growing region in the world to implement a plan addressing climate change. Since then, it has reduced carbon emissions by 20 percent and currently 20 percent of vineyards in Champagne hold an environmental certification.
Champagne is a pioneering region for sustainability, having begun to take actions towards cutting its carbon emissions years before the French government made such action legally binding. Since 2003, the industry has created an ambitious climate plan, in a joint committed effort to improve sustainability and reduce its impact on the environment.
Champagne’s carbon footprint reduction plan has three areas of focus: water, air and biodiversity.
As a result, the Champagne region has successfully ensured that 100% of the water used to make champagne is treated and re-used. In terms of air, the CO2 emissions have been decreased by 20% per bottle of Champagne, mainly by reducing the weight of the bottle (the largest source of emission by far), and by reducing the use of chemical fertilizers.
As for biodovesity – namely the use of pesticides – the industry has reduced the use of phytosanitary products and nitrogen fertilizers by 50% across the regions, with half of the pesticides used today authorized in organic farming.
However, although the industry has made impressive steps towards lowering its collective carbon footprint, there is clearly more to do to preserve the region’s terroirs, and minimize impact to the climate. Over the course of the next 30 years, champagne houses across the region have committed to a series of objectives:
How this can be done will be part of a seperate post, and precisely what SimplyChampagne supports.