How does Australian Agriculture contribute to the global effort of climate change?

Countries around the world are working towards the ambitious effort to combat climate change and chart a new course in the global climate effort.  Our nations are working globally to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement of 2015.

Organisations and individuals need to adopt new practices and technologies to reduce their emissions.  There are a number of ways Agriculture can contribute to this including reducing greenhouse gas emission in cattle, herd management, fertiliser use efficiency in irrigated cotton, and sequestering carbon in soils in grazing systems.

Australia is leading the way backed by the Australian Government announcing in February 2019 an additional $2 billion to continue purchasing low cost abatement and build on the success of the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) to reach Australia’s 2030 emissions reduction target.  This additional funding ensures Australian farmers continue to have opportunities to undertake emissions reduction projects that provide local benefits.

In 2014 the Australian Government invested $2.55 billion in the ERF to boost agriculture productivity, support jobs, improve biodiversity and water quality, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Land owners who manage permanent pasture or have land that was continuously cropped for at least five years, have the opportunity to earn Australian carbon credit units (ACCUs). This can be achieved by changing the way they manage their land, by building soil carbon stock on their properties and/or reducing emissions.

Soil carbon content can be increased by adopting new land management activities including, but not limited to, converting cropland to permanent pasture, rejuvenating pastures or changing grazing patterns. These activities either increase the amount of plant material that is incorporated into the soil or reduce the rate of soil carbon lost through limiting soil disturbance.

In addition to the revenue raised through participating in an ERF soil carbon project, there are many benefits associated with increasing soil carbon on farmland including higher crop yields, increased pasture quality, reduced erosion and improved soil health.

Under the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF), landholders and farmers are able to earn revenue for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by storing soil carbon in grazing systems and other agricultural soils using the approved ERF methods.

Economic, social and environmental sustainability form the basis of Impact Ag Partners core values in its role of providing long-term land stewardship of agricultural land assets on behalf of its clients.

Our management practices accelerate soil carbon sequestration resulting in healthier soils, decarbonising the environment and increasing land value.

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