Climate Change

Background

We were the first land-based organisation to look at climate change from a land management perspective and in 2001 published a ground-breaking report – Climate Change and the Rural Economy - which identified how climate change would impact on rural businesses, what the adaptation and mitigation options were and what policy changes were required.

This document became the catalyst for setting up Defra's Rural Climate Change Forum in 2003 which is chaired by Dr John Gililand, and attended by the CLA and other farmer and environmental organisations. The forum meets to move rural climate change issues forward by identifying, proposing and promoting practical actions and policy options.

A copy of the policy statement made by the CLA and its partner, the European Landowners’ Organisation (ELO), for UNFCCC, COP 15 at Copenhagen can be downloaded here.

Other CLA Climate Change articles

• Consultation responses
• Advisory handbooks

The CLA recognises the threat of uncontrolled global climate change to its core food production and environmental care roles and is in favour of collective action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Nevertheless, the CLA is concerned that in its eagerness to be in the lead on climate change Government should not export UK agricultural emissions by imposing unachievable reduction targets for nitrous oxide and methane.

The rate at which northern latitudes are warming suggests that they are likely to experience twice the mean rate of global temperature increase, with major implications for impacts and adaptation and associated costs.

At the same time, the CLA urges the need to optimise the contribution of land management to mitigation though managing carbon stocks and provision of renewables.

This should mean the inclusion of Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry in the commitments of developed countries, and an agreement on Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation.

It captures the current challenges and opportunities faced by land managers in the UK and in Europe and explains the impact on crops, water resources, livestock and forestry.

CALM (Carbon Accounting for Land Managers)

Following the 2001 report the CLA has been part of further work investigating the climate change impacts on rural land estates in Europe – in a report "Climate Change and the European Countryside 2006" or "CLIO Report" which was also used to test the application of an on-farm greenhouse gas audit, or CALM (Carbon Accounting for Land Managers) tool.

CALM has been further developed with Savills and funding from East of England Development Agency and others and was published on the CLA website in March 2008.

It is a web-based calculator to help land managers work out the balance of greenhouse gases emitted by their farming business, and carbon stored in their trees and soil. It is acknowledged as an innovative and far-reaching piece of work which has helped to move the understanding of greenhouse gas emissions and land management forward. See the CALM calculator webpage.

Communication of Climate Change

We are involved in a number of industry groups covering communication of climate change awareness to land managers and taking a closer look at mitigation options.

• The Climate Change Communication Project is funded by Defra, with Forum for the Future, NFU, and Applied Research Forum (representing the seven levy boards). The aim of the project is to raise awareness of climate change to farmers and to do this we have produced 14 fact sheets, such as What is Climate Change? and How WILL it affect Agriculture and Climate Change? Focus on Diary. There are also six case studies of farmers highlighting how they are adapting to climate change. We recommend a look at www.farmingfutures.org.uk
• The Industry High-Level Climate Change Task Force, launched in January 2007, is a joint initiative between the CLA, NFU and AIC to take a closer look at greenhouse gas mitigation options for land management businesses, including agriculture and forestry. A report by the Task Force "Part of the Solution: climate change, agriculture and land management" was launched in December 2007 to present a united stance against the serious threat that climate change poses to agricultural production and the rural sector. By working together, we demonstrate here how our sector offers part of the solution to a major public problem.

More information on the Renewable Energy page

Climate Change - Consultation responses

Adaptation of Agriculture and Forestry to Climate Change and the EU Response
CLA written evidence to the House of Lords Committee on the European Community, sub-committee D on the adaptation of Farming and Forestry to Climate Change.  CLA President and Policy Director gave oral evidence to the committee on 9 December.
[9 December 2009]

Draft guidance on how to measure and report your Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Defra have proposed a very general guidance booklet on how all organisations and businesses should go about measuring and reporting their greenhouse gases.  The CLA response agrees with the principles Defra are proposing for doing this and explains...
[10 August 2009]

Climate Change - Advisory handbooks

CLA57 - A guide to climate change for land managers
Climate change is among the most serious challenges that are affecting the world today, and land managers whose businesses are so dependent on climatic conditions are literally on the front line. To be successful in the future land managers will, almost...
[28 October 2010]