Climate Clever Beef: options to improve business performance and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in northern Australia
Steven Bray A G , Dionne Walsh B , David Phelps C , Joe Rolfe D , Kiri Broad C , Giselle Whish E and Michael Quirk F
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, PO Box 6014, Rockhampton MC, Qld 4702, Australia.
B NT Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries, GPO Box 3000, Darwin, NT 0801, Australia.
C Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, PO Box 519, Longreach, Qld 4730, Australia.
D Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, PO Box 1054, Mareeba, Qld 4880, Australia.
E Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, PO Box 102, Toowoomba, Qld 4350, Australia.
F 85 Northgate Road, Northgate, Qld, 4013, Australia.
G Corresponding author. Email: steven.bray@daf.qld.gov.au
The Rangeland Journal 38(3) 207-218 https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ15124
Submitted: 15 December 2015 Accepted: 13 May 2016 Published: 23 June 2016
Abstract
The Rangeland Journal – Climate Clever Beef special issue examines options for the beef industry in northern Australia to contribute to the reduction in global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and to engage in the carbon economy. Relative to its gross value (A$5 billion), the northern beef industry is responsible for a sizable proportion of national reportable GHG emissions (8–10%) through enteric methane, savanna burning, vegetation clearing and land degradation. The industry occupies large areas of land and has the potential to impact the carbon cycle by sequestering carbon or reducing carbon loss. Furthermore, much of the industry is currently not achieving its productivity potential, which suggests that there are opportunities to improve the emissions intensity of beef production. Improving the industry’s GHG emissions performance is important for its environmental reputation and may benefit individual businesses through improved production efficiency and revenue from the carbon economy.
The Climate Clever Beef initiative collaborated with beef businesses in six regions across northern Australia to better understand the links between GHG emissions and carbon stocks, land condition, herd productivity and profitability. The current performance of businesses was measured and alternate management options were identified and evaluated. Opportunities to participate in the carbon economy through the Australian Government’s Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) were also assessed.
The initiative achieved significant producer engagement and collaboration resulting in practice change by 78 people from 35 businesses, managing more than 1 272 000 ha and 132 000 cattle. Carbon farming opportunities were identified that could improve both business performance and emissions intensity. However, these opportunities were not without significant risks, trade-offs and limitations particularly in relation to business scale, and uncertainty in carbon price and the response of soil and vegetation carbon sequestration to management.
This paper discusses opportunities for reducing emissions, improving emission intensity and carbon sequestration, and outlines the approach taken to achieve beef business engagement and practice change. The paper concludes with some considerations for policy makers.
Additional keywords: carbon sequestration, grazing, participatory action research, productivity, profitability, rangeland.
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