LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT AND CARBON FOOTPRINT IN THE WINE SUPPLY-CHAIN Angelo Cichelli 1 , Andrea Raggi 1 , Claudio Pattara 2 . 1 DASTA, G. d’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, viale Pindaro, 42, 65127 Pescara, Italy, cichelli@unich.it 2 Dept. of Sciences, G. d’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, viale Pindaro, 42, 65127 Pescara, Italy ABSTRACT This study concerns the application of a Carbon Footprint (CF) tool to an Italian wine case- study to which Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) had already been applied, with the aim of testing this new approach and draw some preliminary comparative remarks. The functional unit used was a 0.75 litre bottle and the supply-chain considered started from the vineyard and ended with the sale of the product, including the transport related to the distribution stage. The results show that the considered tools are similar in terms of applicability, but differ in the outputs they produce. The CF is easier to understand than LCA, which provides more complete data. The studied sample does not permit us to make a meaningful assessment of the considered tools. In conclusion, further studies must be carried out to validate the use of CF in companies of different sizes, which may have significant environmental impacts also in other categories. Keywords: wine industry, carbon footprint (CF), Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) 1. INTRODUCTION The wine industry is a “global” sector, in terms of end market, which represents a significant demand of world resources. According to recent data almost 8 million hectares are used for viticulture and the estimated annual world production of wine is about 270 million hectolitres (OIV, 2006). In view of the size of the resources involved, a common strategy is required in order for the sector to develop and evolve towards a “sustainable” solution for the economy of the different producing countries and for the ecosystems that accommodate the cultivations. In this context, in the last few years, new products have appeared on the market. Organic wines have rapidly obtained success together with a whole range of food products with the same characteristics. Even though wine is not a basic necessity, for some economies it has significant importance in terms of export data and it covers a large percentage of the GDP from the agro-industrial sector (Point, 2008). With the increase in the world production of wine, environmental problems related to this type of production are of growing concern, particularly in a few countries which are not traditionally known for winemaking (Australia, New Zealand, a few American countries and South-Africa). Environmental issues have in fact imposed new development models based on innovative technologies that reduce the consumption of resources (energy, chemicals) and the amount of pollutants and waste released, maximising the recovery and recycling of by-products at the end of the life cycle. In the case of the agri-food industry, specifically in the wine growing and making supply chain, certain methodological tools have been used to quantify and asses the environmental impacts throughout the product life cycle, from raw materials to the end product and waste. From this point of view, over the years the first methodology to have been applied is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) which assesses the environmental burdens of a product, from its 1