Traditional farming methods in the uplands of Wales have contributed to a mosaic of carbon-rich soils holding important and vast carbon deposits that will help Wales meet the Assembly’s targets for reducing carbon emissions, Farmers’ Union of Wales president Gareth Vaughan said in his New Year’s Message.
“Careful management of pastures and woodlands throughout Wales also contributes to the uptake of carbon. Policy makers and advisers, therefore, need to recognise the importance of managing these resources so that carbon continues to be taken up without compromising food production and security,” said Mr Vaughan.
He added that while many still doubt whether man-made climate change is real, it is clear from the recent Copenhagen summit that this issue will continue to dominate political agendas in 2010 and beyond.
“If the overwhelming majority of scientists are wrong regarding our contribution to climate change, the global economy will suffer needlessly. If they are right, and we fail to act, the world will see catastrophe on an apocalyptic scale.
“Like most people, I would dearly like to believe that the scientists have got it horribly wrong, but when you look at what is predicted, it is clear that throwing caution to the wind means gambling with the lives of future generations.
“With such stark warnings being made, there is a real need for joined up thinking, and action on a global scale, taking account of complex issues such as appropriate land use, carbon sequestration, global economics, and food security.
“Yet reports recently published by the Lancet and the Sustainable Development Commission advocating cutting out meat to reduce climate change take little or no account of this, and highlight the dangers of failing to properly examine the whole picture.”
Mr Vaughan believes such short-sighted analyses that lead to convenient “quick-fix” sound-bites are not only damaging to Welsh and UK businesses; they also undermine the work that is already underway to minimise the impact of farming on the environment, threaten the ecosystems that rely on livestock production, and are actually likely to make matters worse by undermining domestic food production and encouraging food production in countries with poor records in terms of deforestation and, therefore, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
“The fact of the matter is that livestock production is the only responsible option on land that is unsuitable for growing crops and failure to recognise this, or issuing sound bites that undermine the industry, are grossly irresponsible.
“In Wales, 80% of the land is categorised as Less Favoured, meaning that most land is only suited for livestock and forage production. The alternatives are to abandon land, or to attempt to grow unsuitable crops, both of which would have catastrophic environmental impacts in terms of local ecology and greenhouse gasses.
“Moreover, abandoning sustainable livestock production would undermine our food security, and devastate rural communities and economies.
“In terms of Welsh policies, elements of the Glastir scheme have the potential to make a real difference to climate change mitigation, providing the scheme meets the objectives of being easily understood, easy to administer and not being too onerous for farmers to administer.
“Whilst I have real concerns that the scheme is by no means ready to meet the demanding timetable set for it, and its introduction will leave significant question marks about the viability of farming within the LFA, I believe there is an opportunity for Glastir to make a positive contribution to climate change mitigation if sufficient time and resources are invested before rolling it out.
“At an EU level, the issue of climate change has already been included as a priority under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Health Check agreement. However, the post-2013 CAP is likely to bring increased focus on the issue, and it has even been suggested that a third funding pillar should be created specifically for climate change.
“Creating such a pillar using extra funds could actually be a positive move, and we certainly should be open to considering such a proposal. However, proposals to include such extra measures under the current budget, or a reduced budget, are sheer folly.
“As with all matters relating to climate change, the planning of a new CAP that takes fuller account of global warming needs joined up thinking and an understanding of the whole picture. It must recognise that compromising EU farming and food production will accelerate deforestation in developing countries, and lead to a massive increase in food miles.
“Conversely, a CAP that ensures financially stability, food security, appropriate land use, and minimum GHG emissions will have a huge positive impact in terms of mitigating climate change.
“Failure by our leaders and policy advisers to recognise the complex balance between these issues – and the need for a CAP that supports farming families, food production, and reducing GHG emissions – will lead to damage to the farming sector and compromise our future food security and actually exacerbate climate change and the catastrophes that will follow.”
