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At farm level, the total emissions of all cotton-producing farms audited in 2024 was 1,712,852 tCO2Eq, which corresponds to 1.27 tCO2Eq per hectare.
The total reduction of carbon footprint at farm level in 2024, compared with 2023, was 451,612 tCO2Eq. This is an average reduction per hectare of 0.50 tCO2Eq (ranging from -0.23 in the US to -0.58 in Australia), or 23% reduction.
The reduction of carbon footprint per hectare is an indication of good results thanks to the implementation of regenerative practices. The tables below also report the reduction of emission intensity per tonne of cotton, which also depends on annual crop production quantities.
The average emission factor of the cotton lint in 2024 is 1.60 tCO2Eq / MT. Emission factors of cotton lint for each country are shown in the tables.
For cotton, the GHG emissions are quantified at cotton lint level (ie. after ginning). In relation to the ginning operations, we have used an average efficiency ratio by weight of 39% (meaning 39% of seed cotton is transformed in cotton lint).
The allocation of emissions between cotton lint and seed was done following the ISO 14040 guidelines, allocating 84% of emissions to the fibre and 16% to the cotton seeds. Similar allocations have been done, such as Cascale Cotton LCA Methodology (2024) and Sphera.
Ginning energy data was not available, so we have used secondary data. For the ginning operations we assigned 11% of the total emission of the cotton lint.
The table below shows the results of GHG emissions for green coffee in Brazil.
The reduction of carbon footprint was quantified as -81,819 tCO2Eq over a total farmed area of 72,598Ha. The reduction of carbon intensity per Ha and per tonne of green coffee was respectively 1.13 tCO2Eq and 0.32 tCO2Eq/tonne of coffee.
Again, these results show a positive outcome thanks to the implementation of good regenerative practices by Regenagri-certified coffee farms in Brazil over the course of the past few years.
These GHG quantifications have been carried out at farm level (up to the farm gate) and exclude on-farm product processing operations.
As previously noted, the absolute changes in GHG (not % or /ha or /MT) are calculated between the same countries and projects to provide a like-for-like indication of improvements.
The overall reduction of GHG emissions is a beneficial outcome of regenerative practices farms have implemented over some years.
Soil organic matter (SOM) is the foundation of soil health. It improves structure, water and nutrient retention, supports microbial life and stabilises carbon.
Soils with higher SOM are more resilient to drought, erosion and climate stress. Agricultural practices that increase SOM levels include cover cropping, returning organic residues, compost and manure application, reduced tillage and agroforestry.
These enhance soil fertility and productivity while delivering climate benefits by sequestering more carbon.
The table below shows the values of SOM from soil analysis of Regenagri-certified farms (periodical soil analysis is required under the Regenagri programme).
Within the Regenagri programme SOM is a key indicator of soil health (together with pH, nutrients levels, cation-exchange capacity and bulk density), measured on a recurring basis through soil analysis. Changes in SOM are used to track improvements in soil health and to quantify part of the farm’s climate impact.
As this is our first set of SOM results, we cannot yet assess progress. We will monitor and quantify the improvements from 2025 onwards.
Differences in GHG emission data reported in 2023 and 2024 are calculated on a like-for-like basis (quantification done on the same groups and countries) to ensure consistency.
When values are missing it means either that no farms or companies were part of the Regenagri programme in that country, or that the data was not yet available or verified, at the time of writing this report.
This impact report is intended to provide information on the overall quantification approach and results. It is not a technical report.
During the annual audit, primary data of each certified farm is verified by the certification body. These data are required for the quantification of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Regenagri approves GHG quantification methodologies appropriate to the farming context, taking into consideration crop type, farming system, scale, geography (climate and soil), and practices such as cover crops, reduced tillage, agroforestry, biochar and livestock integration, for example.
Regenagri requires alignment with the following standards and guidelines:
The GHG results in this report have been calculated using the Cool Farm Tool; a quantification methodology that operationalises the IPCC Guidelines combining Tier 1 emission factors with empirical models from over 100 global datasets. It provides a recognised pathway for estimating soil organic carbon change.
For cotton farms the system boundaries are related to cultivation and to ginning operations.
In the results we use the following units:
The system boundaries for GHG quantifications are at farm level and cover both agricultural and conservation areas.
They include all significant elements of carbon dynamics, expressed as carbon emissions and carbon removals, measured in tCO₂e. This provides a complete view of the carbon footprint of the farms and their crops.
In this framework, land use and management changes are recognised as key levers shaping emission and removal dynamics over time. These management changes include:
These changes affect soil organic carbon, woody biomass stocks, and input/emission profiles.
This boundary framework aligns with the IPCC Guidelines and the GHG Protocol Land Sector Guidance, capturing both steady-state emissions and the dynamic impacts of land use and management changes over time.