Fairmiles seeks to explore how we can take a fair approach to Net Zero which allows us to decarbonise airfreighted fresh produce without stopping vital market access for developing world producers.

Climate Change is real and demands an urgent and radical response if we are to adapt to the significant threat it poses to our planet. However, with increasing pressure on organisations to act, there is a growing risk  that corporate Net Zero strategies that seek to reduce emissions by reducing imported or air freighted food, end up alienating and negatively impacting economically less developed countries, to the detriment of livelihoods in rural communities.

Our aim is to establish a just and equitable strategy, consistent with the principles of Climate Justice, for decarbonizing air-freighted fresh produce. This approach will enable the industry to make progress towards achieving Net Zero, while simultaneously mitigating unintended repercussions such as the potential loss of livelihoods within developing communities.

In the main, the term climate justice refers to the notion that our efforts to address the climate emergency must take into account the social and economic impacts of those efforts; particularly in relation to fairness, equality and human rights. Pursuing climate justice entails a recognition that the impacts of climate change are unevenly distributed, and often disproportionately affect vulnerable and marginalised communities.

Over the coming months, Fairmiles will engage key stakeholders in the retail, government and charity sectors to highlight the importance of maintaining crucial trade links with developing countries and make recommendations for reducing emissions without marginalising vulnerable communities.

Desired outcomes are to:

• Conduct research on the impact of air freighted produce.
• Raise awareness of the issue among key stakeholders and the wider public
• Agree Fairmiles Net Zero best-practice guidelines for industry.
• Translate our common ambition into an action plan with quantifiable targets

Who is behind Just Net Zero?

Fairmiles has been formed in a partnership between the University of Northampton Centre for Sustainable Business Practices, Airfrance KLM Cargo, Beanstalk.Global, the University of Exeter and Blue Skies Holdings Ltd.