Report urges farmers to play their part to meet climate ambition
Scottish farmers have the opportunity to be 鈥渢he champions and not the victims鈥� of climate change, according to a new report.
Commissioned by NFUS Scotland and Nourish Scotland, the says farmers, land managers and rural businesses, agricultural suppliers and buyers must all play their part to help Scotland meet its climate change ambition to be net zero by 2045.
The independent inquiry brought together a panel of experts 鈥� including Steven Thomson, Senior Agricultural Economist at 抖阴直播 鈥� to find consensus on a path to net zero for Scottish farming 鈥渢hat still delivers a robust industry, that is integral to the culture, nature and prosperity of Scotland鈥�.
The report says there is a 鈥渉eavy responsibility鈥� on farmers, farm managers and crofters to revolutionise current practices to reduce agriculture鈥檚 impacts on the climate, and maximise sequestration through changes to management practices to reduce the need for a complete land-use change.
They must also have a 鈥減ositive attitude towards the multi-use of land needs to become the norm so as to sequester carbon and build biodiversity鈥�.
These 鈥榤ulti-functional鈥� land uses include integrating agroforestry and agroecology, using wetlands as part of natural flood protection networks and building long-term multispecies pastures, and restoring peatlands to keep carbon in the soil and boost biodiversity. Planting trees also has an important role 鈥� as farm woodlands, hedges and shelter belts as well as larger blocks of forestry.
Steven Thomson said: 鈥淭he panel of farmers, stakeholders and scientists took evidence from a large number of experts from near and far and the 鈥榬ealisation journey鈥� was clear to see 鈥� that is, we all came to understand and accept the urgent need to do things differently if Scotland鈥檚 land managers are to play their part in limiting global temperature rises and biodiversity decline while safeguarding the livelihoods of generations to come.鈥�
He added: 鈥淭he rationale for supporting agriculture appears to be switching from income support and production support to that of supporting sustainable land management - and farmers and crofters should be able to embrace these changes and use them to do things differently and promote Scotland as a place of sustainable production at a time when consumer preferences evolve at home and abroad.
鈥淭he report does not shy away from the difficult transitions that will be required, but it reminds everyone that it is within our collective control to do things differently and better as an industry.鈥�
NFU Scotland President Andrew McCornick said: 鈥淭he report sets out principles that all sectors of Scottish agriculture need to adopt. NFU Scotland agrees that we need to improve agricultural and carbon efficiency, better manage our soils, and develop a new approach to sharing knowledge and technical support.
鈥淲hat this report makes most clear is that we all need to act immediately to tackle the climate emergency.
鈥淪cottish Government is now well equipped with advice to take action that will support Scottish farmers, crofters, and growers as they contribute to achieving our ambitious national climate change targets and reversing biodiversity loss.鈥�
The report can be found .
Posted by 抖阴直播 on 10/11/2020
