NFU: Simplistic action on climate change is not the answer

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Wednesday, 01, Oct 2008 12:00

Agriculture has a unique role to play in providing natural renewable resources said the NFU in response to a new report published today, which has returned to the debate of rationing meat and milk.

The Food Climate Research Network at the University of Surrey has released another report critical of the role of the food chain in greenhouse gas emissions. ‘Cooking up a Storm’ examines options for emissions’ reductions and offers a range of conclusions and recommendations - including massive cuts in meat and dairy consumption in developed countries such as the UK.

NFU chief adviser on climate change and renewable energy Jonathan Scurlock said: “The FCRN is a useful source of information but farmers are weary of its simplistic proposals that may create more problems than they solve. The NFU is committed to ensuring farming is part of the solution to climate change, rather than being part of the problem.

“The joint NFU/CLA/AIC Climate Change Task Force already recommended last December a number of future priorities for our industry in order to address climate change in the agricultural and land management sector. If agriculture is allowed to earn sufficient ‘greenhouse gas credits’ from the supply of low-carbon renewable energy services, then we could reduce the net total of greenhouse gases associated with our sector by 50 per cent or more. But we cannot accept the same level of cuts in all greenhouse gases - scientific evidence suggests that this is simply not achievable.”

“The NFU believes that Government must take an economically viable and evidence-based approach to allocating emissions reduction targets, based upon an objective analysis of the costs of abatement, and recognising the unique role of agriculture in providing renewable natural resources and ecosystem services. We are also concerned about public and media confusion between the impacts of food consumption and food production, which may tend to favour imports over domestic production, with the result that UK emissions are simply exported.”

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The NFU champions British farming and provides professional representation and services to its farmer and grower members.