9. INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

SDG #9 was created to address the needs for building resilient infrastructure, promoting sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation. The purpose of SDG Target 9.4 in particular is to upgrade all industries and infrastructures for sustainability. Specifically, the Target seeks to reduce the carbon intensity of industries, that is, the quantity of carbon dioxide emissions generated per unit of economic value added (measured as kilograms of CO2 emitted per dollar of GDP).

The RTRS Standard is aligned with Target 9.4 as it seeks to reduce the use of fossil fuel in soy producers’ agricultural practices under Principle 4 (“Environmental Responsibility”). By recording, monitoring, and keeping stable the use of fossil fuels in their farms, RTRS certified producers are helping curb the increase in emissions levels from the infrastructure used in soy supply chains. Thus, they are making the entire industry more sustainable and contributing to climate change mitigation efforts globally. This provides a viable alternative for addressing the issue of carbon intensity of an industry without having to complete retrofits of production infrastructure, which can pose significant cost barriers to some soy producers.

SDG TARGETS AND RELATED RTRS INDICATORS

SDG Targets

9.4 By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities.

RTRS Indicators

RTRS: 4.3.1, 4.3.2

RTRS certified producers are required to record their their total direct use of fossil fuels over time in all activities related to soy production (4.3.1), including monitoring of volume per hectare and per unit of product. In this way, RTRS producers can prevent increases in the carbon intensity of their business. If an increase in the use of fossil fuels is recorded, a justification needs to be provided, and if no justification is available, the producer must formulate an action plan to reduce use (4.3.2).

SDG 9: Case study

Title: RTRS sustainable soy corridor in MATOPI (states of Maranhão, Tocantins and Piauí) in Brazil

Organisation: Port of Itaquí, Cargill, RTRS Certified Producers in MATOPI (states of Maranhão, Tocantins and Piauí) Location: MATOPI (states of Maranhão, Tocantins and Piauí)

Case: In September 2020, one of Port of Itaquí’s terminals, in the state of Maranhão, Brazil, obtained the RTRS Chain of Custody certification to meet the demand for RTRS certified soy. Port of Itaquí connects the Brazilian grain market with the main international markets; it is considered the third largest port for soybean exports.

By certifying against RTRS Chain of Custody, the port terminal encourages truly sustainable food supply across the globe and contributes to strengthen and expand the volume of certified soy production in the region, guaranteeing food security. MATOPI region (states of Maranhão, Tocantins and Piauí) represents and brings together a significant number of RTRS certified producers, hectares and tons of certified soy.