Evaluation of the carbon footprint of the life cycle of wine production: A review

Abstract

The accounting and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions associated with wine production have been increasingly pursued by the wine sector, due to increasing interest regarding environmental issues and sustainable development by consumers and organizations. Herein, this report aims to review and evaluate the existent literature regarding the calculation of carbon footprints at various stages of the life cycle of wine production. With this information, this report aims to improve the environmental performance of this sector in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. We have found widely variable carbon footprints between reviewed studies, which included different wine types from major wine producing countries and regions. We were also able to identify the life cycle stages that contribute the most to the overall carbon footprint of wine production, which are bottling and viticulture, while understanding which are the major hotspots at each stage. This allowed us to provide suggestions and recommendations for mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, this report can guide future studies aiming to account, report and mitigate the carbon footprint of wine production.