The challenge of decarbonising global economies comes with an essential question: how can we eat sustainably without destabilising the climate that supports agriculture?
This crucial issue will bring experts to the University of New England (UNE) on National Ag Day, November 15, to address the theme, “What does it take to make a ‘net zero’ steak?”
UNE’s SMART Region Incubator (SRI) will host the event, which promises a day of insightful discussions led by Bert Glover, Founder and CEO of Impact Ag’s US operations; Richard Heath, CEO of the Zero Net Emissions (ZNE) Ag CRC; Michael Crowley, Managing Director of Meat and Livestock Australia; and Steve Wiedemann of Integrity Ag.
They will be joined by UNE researchers who are at the forefront of livestock emissions reduction, as well as a panel of innovators exploring “Wild Ideas” for achieving net-zero production.
Mr Glover is set to reflect on past climate policy efforts, stating that “the past mish-mash of policy initiatives around climate change are no guide to the future", Mr Glover said.
“We can either halve human emissions or sequester an additional 2.5% of carbon across the world’s agricultural lands. My bet is that sequestering is easier than changing human behaviour.”
According to ABARES modelling, rainfall across Australia’s agricultural zones could decline by 3% to 20% by 2050 under optimistic emission reduction scenarios—figures that have yet to be realised.
Shifting rainfall patterns and increased variability could reduce average farm profits by 2% to 30%, or as much as 10% to 50% if emissions continue unchecked.
Despite decades of global climate talks, Mr Glover has noted that progress has been limited. Agriculture and energy production are both major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.
Impact Ag has been a leader in nature-based solutions, becoming the first Australian agricultural company to trade carbon credits on a global scale.
Mr Glover will share insights on the rapid growth of market-based solutions and emerging opportunities in the field.
Dr Lou Conway, Director of UNE’s SRI, points out that achieving net-zero emissions is not just about climate stability, but also about enhancing agricultural productivity.
“Ag productivity growth is slowing. The push to achieve Net Zero could be a transformative ‘moonshot’ that spurs innovation, driving agriculture to new heights of productivity and resilience,” Dr Conway said.
“I’m incredibly excited about the calibre and diversity of minds gathering on National Ag Day,” Dr Conway added.
“I hear that many in the ag community are weary of endless circular discussions about climate change. The experts and innovators coming to UNE will offer fresh, practical solutions and new perspectives to tackle this complex issue.”