Climate Change Authority Says Farmers Being Pressured to Up Emissions Reporting

This photo taken shows a farmer herding sheep near the rural city of Tamworth, Australia, on May 4, 2020. Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images

Economic infrastructure demands large greenhouse gas emitters in agriculture to measure on-farm emissions actively, a report has found.

The Climate Change Authority released its latest report with 25 recommendations to enhance crucial programs (National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) Act and the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU)) that measure, report, and reduce emissions.

The authority CEO, Brad Archer, explained markets, financial institutions, and supply chains want big emitters in agriculture to report their emissions accurately and transparently, such as by emission (pdf).

He said reporting should include an emissions recording framework for agriculture at local, state, and federal government levels and published data should include detailed information about individual facilities, including the types of greenhouse gases emitted.

Agricultural greenhouse gas emissions include 79 percent methane, 18 percent nitrous oxide from fertiliser and manure, and 4 percent carbon emissions from nitrogen-rich fertiliser and calcium carbonate soil amendment, with limited options to reduce livestock emissions, particularly in grazing systems.

The authority reviewed the ACCU and NGER schemes together for the first time to ensure both schemes stay useful for Australia’s emissions reduction goals.

It noted that emissions must decrease by 17 Mt CO2-e annually from October until the end of the decade to meet Australia’s 2030 target (pdf).

Since 2020, emissions have decreased at just over half the needed rate and slightly increased in the 12 months leading to June 2023.

“To highlight the size of the challenge ahead, we have now until 2030 to increase the share of renewables from 32 percent to 82 percent,” the authority said.

Government Reviews Recommendations

The Albanese government welcomed the report but will assess if the recommendations are the most effective way to improve emissions for the sector.

Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said any regulatory changes will consider stakeholder input, rely on solid science, and follow best practices.

“The Government will be taking a comprehensive and consultative approach in responding to these reviews and progressing work already underway that is consistent with the CCA’s advice,” he added.

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water will create a response to all recommendations by mid-2024.

Australian Energy Minister Chris Bowen speaks to the media during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Sept. 18, 2023. AAP Image/Lukas Coch

Farmers Face Challenges in Emission Reduction: Unclear Policies

Farmers for Climate Action Chair Brett Hall said farmers fear unclear government policies, high upfront costs, and difficulties in measuring changes.

“A Net Zero Sector Plan for Agriculture and Land needs to act on these challenges,” he said.

At the same time, a recent Farmers for Climate Action survey (pdf) asked 700 farmers how to reduce emissions and build carbon stores on farms, and none of the responses favored policy as the best way forward.

A majority of respondents in the survey preferred the following approaches: promoting biodiversity with mixed-species pastures and agroforestry systems (65 percent), rehabilitating degraded land and reforesting non-agricultural areas (60 percent), implementing rotational grazing for pasture health and carbon uptake (57 percent), and switching to renewable energy sources like solar and wind for farming operations (53 percent).

Some farmers noted that speeding up the transition to net zero emissions could jeopardise rural livelihoods.

Ian McDonald, a grazier from Walcha, previously told The Epoch Times that the country’s reliance on farmers for food production in rural areas is crucial, and any disruption to the supply chains there could ultimately impact national security.

“This country relies heavily on the bush, on farmers to produce food for the cities, and if they disrupt the supply chains here in the bush, it will ultimately affect national security I believe,” he said.

“We’ve been trying to engage with government for a couple of years now and every time we engage with them they just tell us, they don’t talk, they don’t discuss, they don’t consult.”

Global Farmers Unite on Climate Action at COP28

Meanwhile, farmer bodies across the globe, including the Australian National Farmers’ Federation, united on climate with the newly formed Agriculture Climate Alliance (ACA) at COP28.

The ACA urges government investment in agriculture and acknowledgment of the sector’s unique role as an emitter and carbon storer and livestock’s crucial role as a food and fibre provider in the global agri-food system.

“Emissions reduction policies must recognise farmers for the role they play in managing landscapes and their contribution to food ... and must provide a pathway for a profitable, productive, and sustainable agricultural sector into the future.”

Further, the ACA called for government to support the fair distribution of new technologies to boost agricultural productivity, increase farm profitability, and contribute to worldwide adaptation and resilience.

To date, the ACA includes the National Farmers’ Federation, Federated Farmers New Zealand, and Federation of Rural Association of Mercosur (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and Colombia).

It comes as Australia’s farming contributes about 14-16 percent of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, slightly higher than the global average of 13 percent.

However, Australia’s agriculture is often more sustainable than its global competitors. For instance, the emissions intensity of Australian beef is estimated to be lower than its leading competitors.