Climate change is already having an impact on the agriculture sector. Defra aims to provide information to the farming sector about the  threats and opportunities that come with a changing climate, as well as information about reducing Greenhouse Gas emissions.

More information on adapting to climate change outside of the agricultural sector can be found on the Adapting to climate change homepage.

More information on mitigation can be found on the Climate change mitigation page.

The case for government action

Farmers, who occupy over 75% of UK land, are among the first to feel the effects of our changing climate. There is an essential need for the agricultural sector, as with all UK sectors, to play a role in reducing emissions and in adapting to the impacts of climate change.

Further action and help available

• In England, an agricultural industry partnership is taking the lead to drive action to reduce on-farm greenhouse gas emissions through its Greenhouse Gas Action Plan, launched in April 2011, through cost-effective farming practices.
• In 2012, Defra will be assessing the overall approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, including the industry-led action plan. See the 2012 Review Terms of Reference for more details.

The government will continue to support the agricultural sector by:  

• Improving the national agriculture GHG Inventory, through the investment of £12.6 million over four and a half years, in partnership with the devolved administrations, in a series of projects aimed at strengthen our understanding of emissions produced on farms. This will enable farmers to take more effective steps to reduce emissions and capture the positive actions already being taken.
• Continuing to engage with leading industry experts and those with an interest in farm and environmental land management, to discuss climate change issues. In addition, we will continue to work with the whole food supply chain to make sure we maximise the potential for emissions reductions.
• Investing in an ‘Integrated Advice Pilot’ (IAP) -  a yearlong study that aims to identify the best available information and advice for farmers and find new, more effective ways of delivering it. By joining-up existing advice on key issues like climate change, biodiversity and competitiveness, we hope to reduce the burden on farmers whilst changing attitudes and practices for the better. The IAP will use social science techniques, as well as existing research, to develop these new methods which will then be monitored and assessed for effectiveness.  A report will be published in Spring 2012. Further details can be found on the Defra science pages: Integrated Advice Pilot.
• Continuing to work with industry and delivery bodies to develop, assess and communicate the priority adaptation actions farmers and land managers can adopt to make sure their businesses are sustainable and resilient. Maintaining (or creating) healthy and resilient ecosystems on farms will help manage the effects of climate change on the natural environment, biodiversity and society as a whole.

The current situation and background

• Based on the best available science, agriculture contributes approximately 8% of the UK total of GHG emissions. According to the 2010 DECC publication of GHG emissions, covering the reporting period 1990 – 2008, the agriculture sector, by source, was the single largest emitter (76% of UK total) of nitrous oxide (N₂O), mainly from the use of nitrogen fertilisers. It also accounted for 38% of the UK’s methane (CH₄) emissions, mainly from the digestive systems of livestock and from manure. Both these GHGs are more potent than CO₂, which accounts for only 1% of UK total emissions.
• Some of the opportunities of a changing climate include:
  • longer growing seasons and reduced frost damage in the winter
  • new geographical ranges for crops
  • the opportunity to introduce new crops/livestock species.
• Climate change is likely to pose more threats than opportunities, including:
  • increased pressure on water availability
  • increased risk of pests and diseases
  • increased incidence of extreme weather events like flooding and drought.

More information on the projected climate impacts can be found on the UKCIP website.

Latest news

• August 2010: Defra commissioned AEA to carry out scoping project to identify existing advisory models and make recommendations on the best way to structure low carbon advice and training to agriculture.
  • Full report of the Agricultural advisory services analysis
• November 2010: Defra commissioned ADAS to undertake a project the understand motivations and the barriers different types of farmers face (by farming sector, region and behavioural type) in changing to low carbon methods of production.
  • Full report of the Market Segmentation in the Agriculture Sector: Climate Change

Other useful links

NB: Rural Climate Change Forum Please note that the Rural Climate Change Forum was wound-up at the end of March 2011. This was following a department wide review of stakeholder engagement, and in recognition of the progression of climate change and agriculture policy to a delivery focused phase.

• Farming Futures