How your breakfast is fighting climate change

Cereal company Kellogg’s is joining the climate change fight with new goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its supply chain.

The maker of Corn Flakes, Frosted Flakes and Eggos committed Wednesday to reducing greenhouse gas emissions 15 percent for 2015 and expanding use of low-carbon energy at production plants 50 percent by 2020.

{mosads}It marks the first time the company has promised to rein in emissions from its agricultural suppliers.

“This is just one example of how Kellogg is continuously looking for new processes and technology to delight consumers with foods made in innovative ways that minimize the environmental impact of our operations,” said Diane Holdorf, Kellogg’s chief sustainability officer. “We’re making progress but also recognize the need to drive change, which is why we’re stepping up our plans now with new goals for 2020.”

Kellogg said it will build programs to better help its small-scale farmers adapt to climate change and improve their agriculture practices.

The move comes on the heels of actions taken by fellow cereal maker General Mills to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Additionally, Kellogg will join the Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy, a group of businesses committed to working with policy makers on climate and energy legislation.

The new commitments from Kellogg and General Mills come after Oxfam America launched a Behind the Brands campaign, pressuring the 10 biggest food and beverage companies to take more aggressive action on climate change.

A recent study by the group also warned that changing weather patterns like hurricanes and drought could drive up grain prices and hurt the retail prices of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes in the U.S. by roughly 30 percent.

“We welcome Kellogg’s efforts to become an industry leader in the fight against climate change and the damage it is causing to people everywhere,” said Monique van Zijl, director of the Behind the Brands campaign. “Kellogg’s new commitments add momentum to calls on governments and the wider food and agriculture industry to recognize that climate change is real, it’s happening now, and we need to tackle it.”