Ahead of COP27’s Agriculture Day (Saturday, November 12), presidents of the four UK farming unions have said that the industry could increase its renewable energy productions to ensure the continued production of climate- and cost-friendly food.
With global energy and food security an increasingly concerning issue, the union presidents have said that, with the correct government investment, infrastructure frameworks and simplified planning regulations would enable more farms to install green energy systems (such as solar panels and wind turbines), and store this energy. As such, farms could become less reliant on fossil fuels, reduce costs and build their resilience in the face of global volatility – in support of sustainable food production.
NFU president Minette Batters said: “Investing in our sector to increase green energy production will not only build resilience in farm businesses and reduce reliance on fossil fuels, but will help farmers produce climate-friendly food for people at home and abroad.
“Agriculture’s role in producing renewable energy and sustainable food, alongside other land-based solutions such as carbon capture, must be recognised by decision-makers at COP27 and beyond. This is about giving UK farming the tools to unlock its net zero potential, which is in everyone’s interests.”
NFU Scotland president Martin Kennedy said: “Those who produce our food are already adapting their farm management practises and future policy should include an increase in the investment in energy infrastructure, help to produce sustainable meat and dairy more efficiently, production of green fertilisers, water storage, new crop varieties and methods of maintaining crop yield.”
Aled Jones, NFU Cymru president added: “Generations of farmers have taken great pride in feeding the nation healthy, nutritious and sustainable food while enhancing their local environment, boosting biodiversity and creating habitats for nature to thrive.
“While we recognise there’s more we can do, we must also ensure that the transition to net zero is just and that the burden of decarbonisation does not fall unequally on farming and rural communities.”
While the Ulster Farmers’ Union president, David Brown, concluded: “Here in Northern Ireland, we aspire to consistently improve our carbon footprint as an industry and reduce our net emissions, but support needs to be provided by our world leaders to enable farming as a whole to make this transition towards more sustainable, climate-friendly food production. It is the only way to ensure we are protecting the planet and have a global availability of food for consumers.”