Climate Change
Preparing for the challenges and opportunities of a changing climate
Climate change is a major issue for our industry for two reasons.
Firstly, there are the direct impacts of climate change itself, including possible changes to growing conditions (such as moisture stress, disease or pest risk, extreme weather events), and changes to crop phenology, length of the harvest season, water resources, and land suitability.
Secondly, there are the impacts from Australia and other countries moving to low-emission economies, with implications for government policies and for our financial systems.
CANEGROWERS position is that:
- Australia’s climate policies must recognise producers for the role they play in managing Australia’s land, and their contribution to food security. Any policies must provide a pathway for a profitable, productive and sustainable agricultural sector into the future.
- The sugarcane industry needs to understand the on-farm and industry-wide implications of changes to the climate and, where negative impacts are likely, identify ways of mitigating these.
- The industry must be proactive in both demonstrating the relatively low emissions intensity of current farming systems and identifying realistic expectations for further reductions.
- The opportunities for sugarcane to be a significant feedstock for bio-fuels and bio-plastics must be encouraged and viable pathways identified.
The CANEGROWERS policy describes the risks of climate change to growers and the collaboration and assistance we seek from government and research providers to address these. Click here to read the policy.
Key areas of work:
CANEGROWERS commissioned a new study to quantify the impact on emissions from changes in farm practices related to the use of nitrogen fertiliser, fuel, electricity, and chemicals. This study has confirmed the relatively low emissions intensity of current best practice farming and found the most promising option for further improvement to be greater adoption of fertilisers treated to reduce nitrification. However, the latter are more expensive and confidence in their optimal use is lacking.
CANEGROWERS is working in projects funded by Sugar Research Australia to provide regional baselines for GHG emissions from farm and mills, and to develop capacity for industry-wide reporting of our efforts to improve the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the industry.
CANEGROWERS is working with the National Farmers' Federation to avoid adverse consequences of the Federal Government’s proposed obligation for large and mid-size companies to report their emissions, including those of their customers and suppliers. We oppose any move that results in the unwieldy obligation for every farm to annually report its emissions to every one of the companies they deal with.
CANEGROWERS is working with SRA to address priority research needs identified in our Climate Change Policy.
CANEGROWERS is driving the Sugar Plus initiative, to evaluate and support the best opportunities for bioproducts from sugarcane that complement its production of raw sugar.
