It comes as new report by Cranfield University reveals roses from Africa are environmentally more acceptable as Valentine’s bouquets than flowers grown in Holland.
Glenys Kinnock MEP, Labour’s spokesperson in the European Parliament on International Development said:
“This groundbreaking report debunks some of the claims about the high carbon emissions resulting from roses imported for Valentine’s Day from African countries like Kenya or Ethiopia.
“Indeed, it is clear that we should set the high environmental cost of artificially heating and lighting flowers grown in Europe against the low energy consumption and CO2 emissions of growing flowers in natural heat and sunshine in Africa. “It is not wise to boycott flowers flown in from far away countries.
“Flower miles” should be seen in the context of what this research shows - which is that carbon emissions for Kenyan roses, including air freight, are just 17% of those of Dutch roses.”
Ends
Editors notes:
The study by the natural resources department at Cranfield University, commissioned by World Flowers and Sainsbury’s, indicates that carbon emissions for Kenyan roses, including air freight, were just 17% of those for Dutch roses. The study found that 6,000 kg of CO2 was released per batch of Kenyan roses, as opposed to 35,000 kg for production in the Netherlands.
The report found that 99% of the Dutch emissions were caused by producing the roses, but only 7.3% of the CO2 produced by the Kenyan flowers was caused by growing them there. Glenys Kinnock is MEP for Wales, Labour's spokesperson in the European Parliament on International Development and Co-President of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States – EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.
For further information please contact Lisa Stevens at the Labour European Office on 029 2048 5305 or 079 7367 8175. Alternatively email lisa@welshlabourmeps.org.uk
