Behind the immense challenge of decarbonising global economies lies another: how do we eat without further destabilising the stable climate that supports agriculture?
This question will draw an outstanding group of minds together at the University of New England (UNE) on National Ag Day, November 15, to consider the question, What does it take to make a ‘net zero’ steak?
UNE’s SMART Region Incubator (SRI) will host a day of wide-ranging discussion on this question. The forum will be led by Bert Glover, Founder and now CEO of Impact Ag’s US operations; Richard Heath, CEO of the new Zero Net Emissions (ZNE) Ag CRC; Michael Crowley, MD of Meat and Livestock Australia and Steve Wiedemann of Integrity Ag. They will be joined by UNE researchers at the forefront of livestock emissions reduction research, and a panel of innovators and researchers who will explore “Wild Ideas” around net-zero production.
A barbecue lunch will be hosted by UNE meat scientist, Dr Pete McGilchrist, and Meat and Livestock Australia chef, Sam Burke.
Mr Glover will introduce the forum by observing that the past mish-mash of policy initiatives around climate change are no guide to the future. The global investor community, recognising that the changing climate is a growing threat to assets and social stability, is now pouring billions into innovation to address the issue.
The reality, Mr Glover says, is that despite three decades of global talks, humanity is making limited progress on slowing or stopping climate change. Agriculture and energy production are roughly equal contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.
“We can either halve human emissions, or we can sequester an additional 2.5 % of carbon across the world’s agricultural lands. My bet is that sequestering is easier than changing human behavior.”
Impact Ag has been at the forefront of the emerging ‘nature-based solutions’ market, becoming the first Australian agricultural company to trade carbon credits globally. Mr Glover will offer a global perspective on the swiftly growing opportunities in this area, and other promising market-based approaches.
SRI Director, Dr Lou Conway, observes that ‘getting to net zero’ is not just about protecting a stable climate for agriculture. “Ag productivity growth is slowing. The work we need to do in getting to Net Zero has the potential to be a sort of moonshot that unleashes a burst of innovation which takes agriculture to a new level of productivity and resilience.”
ABARES modelling forecasts rainfall declines of 3% to 20% across Australia’s agricultural zones by 2050 under optimistic emissions reductions scenarios. These reductions have so far not being realised.
Changing rainfall, and increased variability, will reduce average farm profits by 2% to 30%, ABARES forecasts – or by 10%-50% if emissions continue to grow on their current trajectory.
“I’m incredibly excited about the quality and diversity of minds that will be in the room on National Ag Day,” Dr Conway says.
“I hear that many in the ag community are tired of a lot of circular discussion around addressing climate change, but the people we will have at UNE and the founders with whom we work, are bringing new perspectives. They are all engaged with genuine, working solutions that are pointing to new approaches to this most complex of problems.”
UNE SRI welcomes anyone who wants to engage with this discussion to participate in this focused and relevant National Ag Day special event. A barbecue lunch is part of the package, with an expert cooking demonstration by MLA Chef Sam Burke and UNE Meat Scientist, Dr Peter McGilchrist.
Source: UNE. Those who plan to attend can RSVP via the Eventbrite link on this page: https://www.unesri.com.au/event-listings/whats-it-take-to-make-a-zet-zero-steak
My understanding is that the Trump administration will leave the Paris Agreement (COP21) to focus on cheap energy and jobs for US citizens. This means that the US and China will do nothing about CO2e until the Republicans are voted out in 4, 8 or 12 years. That could take us through until 2036.
Clearly the Governments of the two largest economies in the world don’t believe the premise that CO2e drives climate. Ipso facto, they believe that basing the the energy policy of a nation on such a premise is folly.
If Australian governments continue to base our food and energy policies on the premise that CO2e drives climate then we will have an ample supply of redundant US advisors to get us to the net zero steak. So we won’t require academic conferences to work it out.
However once we get to the net zero steak the only problem will be that beef imported from the USA will be significantly better value for money, unless you are a consumer ideologically wedded to the premise that CO2e drives climate.
I agree with my mate Will – 01/11/24.
Would not, given advances in technology and the complexity of carbon cycle impacts, to objectively measure by satellite ‘all inclusive’ livestock farm emissions with ground truthing where appropriate, on a ‘Landscape’ wide parameter, vs attempting to dissemble same, not make more sense?
What does it take to make a ‘net zero’ steak?
Cancel Net Zero !
Why should Australians do the heavy lifting?
Not Zero sounds better.
Not Renewable
Yes Nuclear