Evaluating carbon footprint embodied in Japanese food consumption based on global supply chain

Based on the trade boom in the globalization wave, nowadays, food products travel long distances from producers to consumers. However, the embodied environmental impact associated with food consumption is still under discussion, which demands an in-depth analysis of its upstream environmental impact. Therefore, in this study, we consider Japan as a case study and apply an environmentally extended input-output table to tackle its embodied carbon footprint across sectors and regions. To further investigate the contribution of food transport, we extracted transport-related carbon footprints embodied in Japanese food consumption according to six transport types. The results indicate that 34% of the carbon footprints from Japan's food consumption were induced overseas, mostly being leaked in some Asian and Pacific countries (4536 kilo tonCO(2)eq in China and 4758 kilo tonCO(2)eq in other Asian and Pacific countries' group) and the United States (4444 kilo tonCO(2)eq). The implications of this study reveal the key role of food consumption in Japan's future decarbonization and carbon neutrality, and provide potential mitigation measures to reduce transport emissions from the perspective of food supply chain.

Automated summary

This study focuses on the carbon footprints induced overseas by food consumption in Japan, revealing the critical role of food consumption in Japan's future decarbonization and environmental sustainability.