Written by Iain Hoey
Responding to the Prime Minister’s announcement that the government will aim for at least a 68% reduction in UK greenhouse gas emissions by the end of the decade, NFU deputy president Stuart Roberts has said the agriculture industry will play a key role in meeting the target.
“It’s great to see the Prime Minister setting an ambitious interim target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the UK,” said Mr Roberts.
“Climate change is both an immediate and long-term threat and as a country we need to take action now to mitigate its impact. That is why British farmers are already working to become net zero by 2040. We want to be world leaders in climate-friendly food production and pave the way for other nations to follow.
He added that, as both a source of emissions and a sink, the agriculture industry has a unique ability to counter-balance its emissions by drawing carbon out of the atmosphere and storing it in farmland or bio-based materials.
“We believe we can reach net zero by 2040 by taking action on three fronts: boosting productivity to bring down our emissions, storing carbon on farmland, and delivering more renewable energy and bio-based materials. By working towards these, British farming can very much be part of the solution to climate change,” he added.
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