In its recent progress report, the CCC called on the new government to make up for lost time after the previous administration reversed or delayed key policies.
It wants to see ambitious action not just in the energy sector, but also across transport, buildings, industry and agriculture.
Stability and confidence ‘sadly lacking’
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: “As the CCC highlights in its report, British farming has recently been on the front line of climate change impacts. It is also very much part of the solution.
“Agriculture contributed to the UK’s early progress, but further changes to farming practices, land management and the wider supply chain require stability and confidence – two things sadly lacking in farming after years of economic and political volatility at home and abroad which have squeezed margins and caused farmer confidence to plummet to record lows.
“With a new government, this is an opportunity to reset and make progress in both climate mitigation and adaptation policy.
“British farmers are working towards net zero, yet many of the NFU’s key policy asks to support farmers on this journey are not yet available.”
NFU Deputy President Tom Bradshaw
“We want to work with the government to deliver what’s needed at a farm level, including a recognition of the investment needed to reduce our climate impact while also ensuring national food security, a prioritisation within the SFI and ELM schemes, and delivery of long-called for policies to enable greenhouse gas baselining on farms because it is crucial that the science and evidence behind emissions and sequestration is robust.”
Priority list
The Committee has written a priority list of ten recommendations which include making electricity cheaper, reversing recent policy rollbacks, and ramping up rates of tree planting and peatland restoration.
Tom added: “The NFU wants to see greater recognition for the wide range of agricultural productivity measures which bring multiple benefits to farm businesses and to the planet.
“We will continue to work with our members to progress their climate-friendly farming journey, to build more resilient, profitable and sustainable farming businesses and stabilise the sector, which forms the backbone of the UK’s largest manufacturing sector, food and drink, which is worth more than £146bn to the economy.”
The NFU’s resilience plans, launched at the NFU Conference 2023, map out sector board priorities and asks of government to support climate-friendly agriculture and improve business resilience. Read our sector plans.
