dairy farmers,
climate
Farmers have 'new opportunities' in bid to tackle climate change
Farmers have a host of «new opportunities» in a bid to help the global effort in reversing climate change, the NFU has said. It comes as the union highlights how the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on climate change is the «final alarm call» from scientists for the world to change its trajectory on the climate change issue.
The report shows even half a degree of extra warming will affect hundreds of millions of people, destroy coral reefs and collapse the Earth's ice sheets. It highlights that emissions need to be cut by 45% by 2030 in order to keep warming within 1.5C.Listing ways for Governments to soothe the dire situation, the IPCC calls for more than half of the world’s electricity to stem from renewable sources, such as solar and wind power, in just over 10 years. The 728-page document also calls for a drastic reduction of methane emissions from livestock production, amongst other agricultural products.
The NFU's Deputy President, Guy Smith, said British farmers can reduce agricultural production emissions through productivity improvements, boost low-carbon energy output and initiate negative emissions. He said the industry is also witnessing new opportunities, such as enhancing carbon stores on farm, producing bio-based substitute materials for buildings and industry, and coupling bio-energy to carbon capture and storage. Mr Smith said: «Last week's report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was a final alarm call from the science community; the rise in global temperature must be limited to 1.5 degrees.
"Farmers and growers have weathered extremes of cold, drought and flood so far this year, and we are ready to play our part in a global move towards net zero emissions."As managers of the land, we have a particular role to play, in harnessing how plants capture carbon from the air and directing this into greenhouse gas removals.
"However, he added: «While UK farmers are keen to show leadership and innovation in how we tackle climate change, what is not acceptable is knee jerk restrictions on UK farm production that simply increase food imports from other parts of the world where climate change measures are lower down political agendas.
"The comments come as Green GB week gets underway, with the Energy and Clean Growth Minister, Claire Perry, formally seeking advice from the Government's independent advisory body, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), on setting a date by which the UK should achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions.
Green GB week has been designed to raise debate in society about how to tackle climate change while also growing the economy.