Committee on Climate Change

Analysis of emissions reduction potential in agriculture remains an emerging area. Given the uncertainty over scope for emissions reductions, and the multiple emissions drivers, the focus in assessing progress reducing emissions should be implementation of measures.

In developing an agriculture indicator framework, it will be important to include productivity indicators (e.g. related to fertiliser use and livestock productivity), both in terms of current performance and scope for improvement based on implementation of measures.

In its 2010 Progress Report to Parliament, the Committee proposed a draft framework of indicators reflecting key emissions-reducing measures (e.g. farmer uptake of practice) as well as emissions drivers (e.g. livestock numbers, fertiliser usage) for further development. The indicator framework was subsequently revised for the 2010 Progress Report to Parliament with emission drivers now focused on reducing emissions intensity (e.g. per hectare of crop and per kg of livestock). 

In conducting research on agriculture, the CCC works closely with experts and organisations from across government, industry and academia, including Defra, the Rural Climate Change Forum and the Food Climate Research Network.