Farmers urge government to cut emissions following IPCC report

Farmers for Climate Action is encouraging the federal government to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase climate change policies, following the release of a new global report on climate.

The group represents agricultural leaders and 7000 farmers from around Australia and works to counter the impact of climate change. It is pushing the government to further reduce emissions in light of the publication of the newest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, which shows Australian agriculture already being affected by climate change.

Without further cuts to emissions, extreme weather and reduced yields will prove highly damaging to farmers and supply chains. Substantially reducing emissions in transport and energy are necessary to prevent the furtherance of these problems, the group argues.

Such cuts will both agriculturally benefit farmers and could also lead to the creation of thousands of jobs in the form of renewable power generation in regional areas.

The IPCC report predicts serious reductions in the viability of farms in areas most affected by increased global temperatures, with Australia being particularly at risk. Farmers for Climate Change wants the government to act sooner rather than later to prevent the issue spiralling into one that causes further loss of industry and farming viability.

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