Climate change report highlights challenges for agriculture in reaching net zero

The release of the Climate Change Authority Sector Pathways (CCASP) report today provides a timely reflection on the challenges facing the agriculture sector in Australia's transition to net zero.

National Farmers' Federation President David Jochinke welcomed the report as a balanced and detailed document that reinforces the realities previously highlighted by the sector: net zero emissions by 2050 is not achievable for Australian agriculture under current conditions.

"The report adopts a multi-scenario approach, including analyses from the CSIRO, and makes clear that none of the scenarios achieve net zero for agriculture by 2050.

"The most ambitious of these, which factors in 5 million hectares of vegetative offsets, raises significant concerns.

"Achieving offsets through land reallocation on this scale would have a profound and detrimental impact on food and fibre production."

The report aligns with these concerns, acknowledging that climate change is likely to increase competition for suitable land, and underlines the importance of safeguarding food and fibre security.

It also highlights the ongoing need for technological advancements to help the sector decarbonise, outlining a range of innovations that need to be progressed to enable a reduction in emissions from the agriculture sector, including:

• Feed supplements;
• Slow-release or nitrification-inhibiting coated fertilisers;
• Improved herd and pasture management;
• Manure management; and
• Renewable or electric vehicles and machinery.

"Farmers are already doing the hard yards in these areas, but there's still a lot of work to do to make sure these innovations are affordable and effective."

However, the report recognises that the widespread adoption of these technologies is not expected until after 2035.

Mr Jochinke said one element of concern in the report was the suggestion of changing dietary preferences away from red meat.

"The NFF strongly opposes this notion, maintaining that a balanced and nutritious diet includes red meat.

"The idea that alternative animal proteins could replace red meat in Australia's unique rangelands is severely misguided."

The report also identifies several significant barriers that must be addressed if Australia is to successfully transition to net zero. It highlights the following:

• Slow and complicated development approval processes for renewable energy infrastructure;
• A lack of community support for key clean energy projects, such as wind and solar infrastructure and transmission lines;
• Supply chain constraints for low-emission technologies;
• The cost of low and zero-emissions technologies;
• Workforce shortages in regional areas and in new industries;
• Gaps in data that hinder effective planning for decarbonisation and investment decisions.

"Agriculture faces substantial challenges in meeting infrastructure demands, particularly for renewable energy and new transmission lines," Mr Jochinke explained.

"The report rightly acknowledges that maintaining 'social licence' is critical for the success of these projects. This should be a wake-up call for project proponents to engage early and meaningfully with regional communities."

"This report aligns with the views expressed by Ministers Watt and Bowen during the Sustainable Agriculture Summit - agriculture cannot be the solution for other sectors' emissions through offsetting.

"Innovation, respect for land use, and careful planning will be key in ensuring agriculture can continue to thrive in Australia's net zero future."

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