Our impact

Reducing carbon emissions

Though farmed salmon has a low carbon footprint compared to other animal proteins, we have a responsibility to reduce emissions from our production and supply chain to reach the Paris Climate Agreement.

Grieg Seafood has set emissions reductions targets approved by the Science Based Target initiative as well below 2 degrees. The targets span both our own salmon farming operations (scope 1-2) and our supply chain (scope 3). The vast majority of our total emissions are linked to the feed, the biggest input factor in salmon farming operations, and freight.

* ghgprotocol.org

Direct carbon emissions from our production (Scope 1 & 2) account for 8% or 30 000 tCO2 e of our total emissions. 92% or 346 000 tCO2 e, of our emissions originate from our value chain (Scope 3), particularly those aspects linked to fish feed and the transportation of salmon to our markets.

Climate Action Plan

During 2022, we have developed our climate action plan, which describes the measures and investments needed to reach our climate targets. This plan stresses the importance of both operational measures, that affect Scope 1 & 2, and supply chain measures in Scope 3. We aim to reduce our operational fossil fuel consumption, purchase renewable electricity, and set supplier requirements to be able to reduce our absolute emission level. We aim to invest in the electrification of our sites and boats, commercialize the need for novel feed ingredients with lower emission factors and reduce our emissions from transportation to market.

The climate action plan has mapped the costs and reduction potential of the necessary investments and projects needed to reach our climate targets. In the approved climate action plan, we have committed to align capital expenditures with our GHG targets.

We are testing out a variety of new technologies to reduce the carbon footprint, such as replacing the diesel engines used at sites with battery packs or hybrid solutions.

Electric and hybrid farms are examples of how we work to cut carbon emissions from our operations. Watch our hybrid system at beautiful Vannfjorden in Finnmark, the world’s most northern salmon farm, in the video over, and learn about how these solutions work.

Climate performance

In 2022, our total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions decreased by 5%, or close to 20 000 tCO2 e, compared to 2021. The decrease is mainly attributable to a reduction in our emission factors from feed in Scope 3. Feed emissions decreased by 19%, or close to 53 000 tCO2 e compared to the year before, which secured an overall reduction in our Scope 3 emissions, despite an increase in emissions from downstream transportation. The utilization of electricity from the power grid and battery packs has also helped to reduce emissions in Scope 1 and 2 by approximately 6%, or close to 2 000 tCO2 e compared to 2021.

Towards the 2030 target

In 2022, we have a total reduction in Scope 1, 2 and 3 of 14% from our 2018 baseline year, which shows that we are moving towards a 35% reduction in 2030. Despite Scope 1 and 2 emissions increasing by 39% due to growth in operations, the 17% reduction in Scope 3 emission keeps us on track to reach our target.

As salmon farming has low levels of carbon emissions from production, the vast majority of our emissions are linked to our value chain (scope 3). Feed and freight cause the largest impacts and will the the focus going forward. As for all companies, it is challenging to assess our scope 3 emissions, due to complexities in our supply chain and lack of standardized reporting systems. We are continuously working on improving our reporting.