Report on reducing emissions from Welsh food and agriculture

The Welsh Assembly Government has published a report setting out how the agriculture and rural land use sectors in Wales can play play their part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining food production. The report was commissioned by the Welsh Assembly and undertaken by the Land Use Climate Change Group, chaired by Professor Gareth Wyn Jones, with representatives from farming, forestry, research and environmental sectors. It is entitled Land Use Climate Change Report To Welsh Assembly Government, March 2010.

The report begins by setting the context – growing emissions, changes in the Welsh rural economy, dietary changes and so forth, before looking at the contribution that the Welsh food system (and in particular its agriculture) makes to GHG emissions. It then examines ways of reducing emissions from: livestock; soils, food processing and other post-farm gate activities, and it then looks at the scope for increasing renewable energy in Wales (including through land based activities such as forestry). The report then describes 5 scenarios, each one taking a different (but sometimes overlapping) approach to addressing emissions.

• Scenario 1 is basically business as usual with incremental improvements.
• Scenario 2 is like the first one but assumes a carbon market
• Scenario 3 assumes major cuts (60-70%) reductions in ruminant emissions
• Scenario 4 would be based on extensive mixed farming systems, maximising resource efficiency from on-farm production of feedstuffs, and a reduction of inputs of fertiliser. The reduction of inputs would be balanced by reduced demand for animal products through a reduction in consumption, and reduction of waste in the food chain.
• Scenario 5 is predicated on the proposition that Wales should seek “to maintain its food production potential while cutting emissions. It would require rolling out of technologies that, although common elsewhere, are not widespread in Wales, as well as retaining some, mainly upland, traditional systems. Mechanisms, preferably market-based, for curbing animal emissionson extensive systems would be required, but the scenario would see Wales as a source of high quality meat and dairy products as well as more vegetable crops in a world of incipient food shortages. Continued trading in food (both export and import) and in other inputs into the food chain is seen as essential to this scenario but predicated on sourcing of the lowest carbon footprint commodity or item.” 

Key elements suggested by the report for reducing emissions are:

• the introduction of anaerobic digestion to reduce methane emissions
• improving farm productivity, including more efficient use of manure, fertilisers and energy· expansion of woodlands
• the development of renewable energy sources.

The report’s emphasis is on maintaining intensive dairy, sheep and beef sectors while diversifying and increasing vegetable crops. In the longer term, the report recommends development of a more radical approach where much of the cattle herd is housed and methane emissions are captured. By 2040, agriculture and land use sectors could make substantial progress to carbon neutrality.

You can download the report here in English or here in Welsh.