Lion becomes a carbon neutral brewer in Australia

14-May-2020 - Last updated on 14-May-2020 at 09:50 GMT

Lion says it has become Australia’s first large-scale carbon neutral brewer, with a carbon reduction program and acquisition of certified carbon credits.

Lion – a subsidiary of Kirin and one of Australia’s biggest brewers – says it has established a ‘whole brewery’ carbon reduction approach across its breweries: including energy efficiency initiatives, biogas utilisation, rooftop solar, renewable energy power purchase agreements (PPAs) through to providing brewers grain to reduce livestock emissions.

This means Lion’s brands – which include XXXX GOLD, Tooheys New and Little Creatures - will be produced in carbon neutral breweries.

'We remain fully committed to reducing emissions - despite the challenges of COVID-19'

In November 2019, Lion set out its target to achieve Climate Active certification in 2020.

It says it has achieved a 28% (approximately 30,000 tonnes) reduction in its absolute carbon footprint of approximately 106,000 tonnes of CO2 in 2015. Lion is on track to meet its carbon reduction target by 2025 and has added a commitment to use 100% renewable electricity to brew its beers in the same timeframe.

Lion CEO, Stuart Irvine said: “By resetting our emissions to net zero, we’re sending a strong message to our people and our supply chain that we are deepening our collective responsibility to measure, manage and reduce our emissions, and we remain fully committed to doing so, despite the challenges we are facing in our business and across the industry as a result of COVID-19.

“We see offsetting our emissions as a last lever while we continue to look for ways to reduce our overall carbon emissions right across our supply chain over the longer term.”

Tasman Environmental Markets, Australia’s largest buyer of carbon offsets is providing Lion with a portfolio of verified projects to offset its remaining organisational carbon footprint. Lion is focussing on carbon abatement projects that deliver bush regeneration and protect vital habitat and food sources for native wildlife.

These include:

Fire with Fire – Arnhem Land – Northern Territory: Conducting controlled burns early in the dry season to prevent bigger, hotter uncontrolled wildfires later in the season. The project provides employment and training opportunities while supporting Aboriginal people.
Bringing the bush back – Forest Re-generation NSW: Located in Western New South Wales, this project works with landholders to regenerate and protect native vegetation.
Forest Protection, NZ: Protecting 738 hectares of Māori owned tall indigenous rainforest, the Rarakau project is adjacent to the Fiordland National Park on the very southern coastline of the South Island and located at the start of the Hump Ridge Track. The forest has a silver beech canopy, intermixed with miro and tōtara.
Winds of Change – Renewable Energy, India: Located in Chitradurga, this wind farm introduces clean energy to the grid which would otherwise be generated by a coal-fired power station. The project supports national energy security and strengthens India’s rural electrification coverage. In constructing the turbines new roads were built, improving accessibility for locals.
Lion supporting Lions – Avoided deforestation, Malawi: The Kulera Landscape REDD+ Program in Malawi protects areas of national parks and wildlife reserves by managing natural resources as an asset base – generating carbon offset revenue that improve livelihoods of local villagers, increase food security and secure vital habitat for threatened species including the African elephant, lion and several species of birds.