Farming industry must act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Agriculture Minister Jim Paice has challenged farmers to live up to their commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Speaking at the launch of the farming industry鈥檚 Greenhouse Gas Action Plan, Jim Paice said:
鈥淥ur farmers are making an important commitment to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and we will continue to support them to achieve this. I鈥檇 really like to see the industry seizing this opportunity and I look forward to seeing real action in farms across the country.
鈥淭his is the first step on the farming sector鈥檚 road to becoming more sustainable and I expect the partner organisations to show clear leadership as industry works to meet this challenge.鈥�
The Minister thanked the National Farmers Union, the Country Land and Business Association, and the Agricultural Industries Confederation for their work to coordinate the plan鈥檚 delivery.
The farming industry鈥檚 progress will be reviewed in 2012 as part of a wider Government review of how different activities, including Government policy, affect agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.
Notes
Meeting the challenge: Agricultural Industry GHG Action Plan, is available to download from .
Agriculture contributes approximately 9 per cent of the UK total of greenhouse gas emissions. It is the single largest emitter of nitrous oxide (76 per cent of UK total) and accounts for 38 per cent of the UK鈥檚 methane emissions, and only contributes around 1 per cent of UK total carbon dioxide emissions.
The Government is supporting the agricultural sector to reduce its emissions by:
- investing 拢12.6m to improve science base and measurement of on-farm emissions (Agriculture GHG Inventory);
- launching a pilot scheme to offer integrated advice to farmers on land management and reducing emissions;
- working with supply chains to reduce their emissions; and
- looking at other ways that policy can support the industry, for example through reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.
The GHGAP has been launched by sixteen organisations representing the agricultural industry in England, led by the National Farmers Union, the Agricultural Industries Confederation and the Country Land and Business Association.