MLA attends COP27 to profile Australian livestock industry’s commitment and progress in climate mitigation

L to R: Michelle Gortan (Macdoch Foundation), Edwina Clowes (MLA), Sam Gill (MLA), Fiona Simson (NFF), Sam Elsom (Sea Forest), Nick Hazell (V2Foods), & Andrew Jones - General Manager, International Development, Bureau of Meteorology, during the Australian Government Pavilion ‘Australia’s Sustainable Agriculture Efforts’ panel.

Overview

In November 2022, Egypt hosted the 27th session (COP27) of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), with a view to building on previous successes and paving the way for future ambition to effectively tackle the global challenge of climate change. COP27 showed a much stronger focus on food security and food supply and climate financing, as compared with COP26 in Glasgow where climate change and mitigation dominated discussions.

For the first time, COP27 included an ‘Adaptation through Agriculture’ theme day and a Food Systems pavilion. Long-time delegates noted a stronger presence of international agricultural and farming organisations and a greater acknowledgement of agriculture as fundamental to both food security and the climate solution. Consistent messages included farming being part of the climate solution, farmers having many of the answers, and farmers needing to be engaged and part of policy decision making.

“There was a real passion and sense of purpose that our agricultural and livestock industries have a critical role in feeding an ever-expanding population, providing a desperately needed nutritious food source and contributing to the climate solutions,” Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) Manager of Sustainability Frameworks and Stakeholders, Edwina Clowes, said.

MLA partnered with the Australian Government, National Farmers Federation (NFF) and Australian Forest Products Association (AUSFPA), to profile Australian agriculture’s commitment and progress in climate mitigation as part of the Australian government official side-event to COP27. Sam Gill, Regional Manager, Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and Ms Clowes represented MLA at the official side-event.

MLA's participation at COP27 was to support the Australian government in highlighting the livestock industry's important contribution, its commitment to evidence-based science and to build and cultivate relationships with international colleagues.

Background

The Paris Agreement signed at COP21 in 2016 was the first legally binding international treaty and first global agreement on climate change. The agreement set the goal to limit global warming to below 2⁰C and preferably 1.5⁰C above pre-industrial levels, to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

The COP26 Glasgow Summit in 2021 represented the first-five yearly review of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by countries to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change impacts and the launch of the Global Methane Pledge, a commitment by more than 100 countries to reduce methane emissions from 2020 levels by 30% by 2030.

Discussions of a losses and damages fund and an overarching commitment to the fund to support low-income countries more impacted by climate change was heralded as the major outcome from this year’s COP27, along with further clarity on the implementation process to support all countries’ capacity to meet their NDCs.

MLA’s contribution

Working with the Australian Government and NFF, MLA’s Sam Gill had the opportunity to present at two Australian Government designated side events: ‘Collaboration on Sectoral Decarbonisation Pathways’ on Friday 11 November and ‘Australia’s Sustainable Agriculture Efforts’ on Saturday 12 November 2022.

“At both sessions Sam spoke of the Australian red meat and livestock industry’s commitment to CN30 ( carbon neutral by 2030). He shared the key priorities and projects in the Emissions Reductions and Carbon Storage collaborative partnerships, the progress to date and the benefits of these investments, not only in reducing emissions but in building productivity and business resilience,” Ms Clowes said.

“He also spoke of the greatest impact areas which included developing cost-effective methane emissions reducing feed additives; genetics that deliver a faster growing and earlier turn-off animal; pasture and legume plantings to enhance soil carbon, soil nutrients and ground cover; and the science and technologies to enable more accurate and remote measuring of carbon in soils and vegetation.”

MLA made valuable connections with international colleagues including the International Meat Secretariat (IMS), the World Farmers Organisation (WFO), the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) and the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) and will continue to build on these.

“It is critical that our Australian agricultural leaders and scientists are represented at these forums to demonstrate our sustainability leadership, articulate our distinct climatic conditions and grazing systems and our commitment to the best science, technology and practice changes to build strong global relationships and to be proactively informing international dialogue and policies,” Ms Clowes said.

There is real value in MLA supporting key subject matter experts and industry stakeholders’ representation at these events. Building a presence and ensuring effective representation of Australian agriculture at these international policy-setting forums will become increasingly important and the COP Conference represents one of the most significant international events of its type. There is the opportunity going forward to build on the relationships forged at COP27 to enable a more co-ordinated Australian position, greater Australian involvement in global presentations and dialogues, and a higher profile for agriculture as fundamental to both food security and the climate solution.