Taking climate action: Measuring carbon emissions in the garment sector in Asia

The textile and garment sector accounts for a significant proportion of global carbon emissions; estimates range between 2 and 8 per cent of total global carbon emissions. Meeting Paris Agreement limits and reducing emissions is a significant sectoral challenge. It will require system-level changes in the production and consumption of textiles and garments, which will have significant impacts on how and where garments are produced and the employment associated with this production. The chapter examines the emission reduction challenge for the global textile and garment sector, by examining how and where carbon emissions accrue across the supply chain as a precursor to identifying where in the supply chain action should be most targeted. The findings show that emissions occur all along the value chain but are most significant in the yarn and fabric production phase, which is also consistent with other environmental impacts such as water consumption and chemicals use.