Lecture by Dr. Ulrike Eberle in the Paul-Löbe Haus on Climate-Friendly Food and Drink

On 6 July 2023, Dr Ulrike Eberle gave a presentation on the calculation method and data basis of food labels to members of the German Bundestag as part of the Together for Carbon Labelling’ initiative (TCL). Together with the TCL initiative, MP Rita Hagl-Kehl had invited scientists, food companies and politicians to the hybrid event “Climate-Friendly Eating and Drinking” to discuss how climate and environmental labelling can contribute to this.

In addition to the goals and demands of the initiative, the discussion was based on expert input from Dr. Ulrike Eberle on the calculation method and data basis, and from Dr. Anke Zühlsdorf on requirements from the consumer perspective and findings from consumer research.

Ulrike Eberle explained why we need a standardised calculation method and a uniform data basis for a climate/environmental label for food. She emphasised in her presentation that, among other things, the calculation method and the data basis must ensure that there is no distortion of competition. Uniform rules are necessary for this, because it must be ensured that differences in the results do not arise due to differences in the methodology or the underlying general data. In this context, she also addressed the need for a freely available database with LCA data for food in Germany. This is already the case in France with the Agribalyse database. Here, politics in particular is called upon to make such a database available. Furthermore, Ulrike Eberle emphasised that labelling must be obligatory in order to avoid that companies only label food that is beneficial for the environment.