Cut flower transport accounts for 90% of supply chain carbon emissions, study finds

A new study from North Carolina State University finds that transportation accounts for nearly 90% of carbon emissions in domestic cut flower supply chains. The research, which surveyed growers, retailers, and a wholesale hub in North Carolina, shows that production and cold storage contribute only 9% and 2% of emissions respectively. The findings suggest that consolidating deliveries through wholesale hubs and switching to electric vehicles could significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the floral industry. The study used life cycle assessment to model seven distribution scenarios for six flower crops. Results show that electric vehicles produce the largest emissions reductions, while hub-and-spoke distribution models work best for high-volume operations. The social cost of carbon for these supply chains ranged from less than 1% to about 10% of seasonal sales, depending on travel distance and vehicle type. This gives growers and florists a clear economic framework for evaluating sustainability investments. As domestic flower production expands in the U.S., driven by consumer demand for local flowers and pandemic-era supply chain disruptions, these findings offer practical guidance for reducing emissions while supporting industry growth. The research highlights that the biggest climate opportunity in floriculture is not in changing how flowers are grown, but in how they are moved from farm to florist.