Australian livestock group drops 2030 carbon goal, shifts to methane focus

A leading Australian livestock industry group announced on Tuesday that it would no longer pursue its objective of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. 

Despite the announcement, the organisation emphasised that reducing the sector’s substantial methane emissions, which contribute to global warming, would continue to be a primary focus, according to a Reuters report.

Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) recent long-term strategy document, released on Tuesday, conspicuously omits the carbon neutral pledge initially declared in 2017. 

Unattainable target

Michael, the managing director, openly stated that the ambitious target had been deemed unattainable. 

This revelation marks a significant shift in the organisation’s environmental commitments, raising questions about the feasibility of such pledges within the livestock industry. 

The original commitment to carbon neutrality by a specific date was a cornerstone of MLA’s public-facing environmental strategy, designed to address concerns about the industry’s carbon footprint. 

Its removal suggests a pragmatic reassessment of what is realistically achievable given current technologies, economic constraints, and industry practices. 

This decision could have broader implications for the agricultural sector’s approach to climate change, potentially influencing other organisations to re-evaluate their own environmental goals in light of MLA’s experience. 

The absence of the pledge underscores the complex challenges inherent in decarbonising industries with significant biological components and highlights the need for more nuanced and adaptable strategies to address environmental sustainability.

Crowley was quoted in the report:

We need more time, more support, and more investment to reach our goal.

Carbon neutrality plan

Last week, Australia’s Red Meat Advisory Council removed the 2030 climate neutral target from its strategic plan.

The decision reflects a trend among some governments and businesses to reduce their climate commitments in recent years.

Australia’s livestock industry initially set a 2030 goal to decrease emissions and use carbon sequestration in soil or plant matter to offset any remaining emissions.

To address this, the industry has focused on innovations such as breeding animals that produce less methane, utilising feed supplements like seaweed to inhibit methane production in the gut, and enhancing soil carbon capture methods.

A report from CSIRO, Australia’s science agency, indicated that the nation’s red meat industry saw a 78% reduction in emissions by 2021 compared to 2005 figures. 

However, this decrease was primarily attributable to reduced land clearing and a smaller national herd, rather than a decline in the methane produced by individual animals.

Crowley stated that the industry could achieve 80-90% of its carbon neutrality target by 2030, as research from recent years progresses into practical application.

We need to drive adoption. 

Sustainability 

He further stated that the 2030 target has stimulated more than A$100 million (US$66 million) in sustainability investments. 

Crowley also mentioned that MLA, a livestock research and marketing organisation, would persist in promoting efficiency improvements and decreasing net emissions per kilogram of meat produced.

According to MLA, Australia is home to over 70 million sheep and 30 million cattle, making it one of the largest red meat exporters globally.

These animals produce methane during digestion, which is 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat over a 20-year period, although it breaks down over time.

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