Australia’s environmental conditions can change rapidly — from drought to the floods currently being seen on the east coast of Australia. With climate change, conditions are becoming harsher and weather more violent. For the agricultural sector, this creates an environment that requires flexible adaptation. With it a key contributor to emissions there has been strong investment in research and development to improve and adapt farming practices — including in greenhouse gas mitigation.
In Canberra on March 23, this research and development was the focus of discussions as part of a new outward-facing agenda to promote Australia in a new light — one with strong climate credentials in the lead-up to the United Nations’ Food Systems Summit in July and COP 26 in November.
In preparation for the food systems summit, member states are engaging in a range of dialogues to consolidate the commitments they intend to bring to the table. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade along with the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and The Crawford Fund hosted Australia’s first dialogue to engage on a priority for Australia — promoting climate-friendly agriculture that aims for carbon-neutrality.