Are you confused about Climate Change?

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By John Gladigau - Executive Director at Bulla Burra Operations Pty Ltd

If I asked this question of most people, I would generally expect the same answer in three different ways:

1. NO – I am not confused. Man-made climate change is the biggest threat to the future of the planet. We need to listen to the science. Global temperatures are rising, Co2 levels are increasing, sea levels are rising, glaciers are shrinking, droughts and heat waves are becoming more intense and whole ecosystems are breaking down. We need to take radical action to reduce emissions, reduce reliance on fossil fuels and our carbon footprint – and we need to do it now. There are hundreds of leading scientists around the world who all agree that we are in a climate emergency.

2. NO – I am not confused. Climate change is definitely happening, but I believe it is part of a long term weather cycle and nothing to do with man. We need to listen to the science. We only have records for several hundred years, and we have seen these extreme events before, and we will see them again. There were recorded hotter days and dryer years in the late 1800's and early 1900's than there are now. We just need to learn to live with and adapt to it. There are hundreds of leading scientists around the world who agree this is just part of a weather cycle and not caused by man.

3. NO – I am not confused. Global warming is a myth. The whole climate change industry is just a conspiracy linked to power and greed. We need to listen to the science. It wouldn't matter if we got rid of all the coal powered stations, all vehicle emissions and all beef cattle it wouldn't make any difference. And the reliance on renewables will break us. There are hundreds of leading scientists around the world who all agree and have proven than global warming and climate change is a myth.

I'm confused.

Not so much confused about my own views, but more around how we can't come to any form of agreement. Once again, we are all talking within our own bubbles. We are all throwing rocks at each other. No one is actually listening to each other's arguments. We have all made up our own minds.

Agriculture gets hammered in this debate. Hammered because we are seen as climate deniers. Hammered because we apparently vote in politicians who are weak on climate action, so this apparently means that we ourselves are a cause of the problem. Hammered because we are expected to bear a huge part of the solution. Let's explore this a little:

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1. FARMERS ARE CLIMATE DENIERS: Not most of the ones I talk to. Most of the farmers I know talk about climate change and strategies for dealing with it. They might not all agree on whether it is man-made or a natural cycle, or how much can be attributed to humans – but most believe we are living in a different climate now than 20-30 years ago.

2. FARMERS ARE TO BLAME FOR US HAVING A CLIMATE DENYING GOVERNMENT: There are approx. 85,000 farm businesses in Australia, so if we say 2.2 people to a farm that makes 200,000 we could call farmers. If all of them voted for the government (which I very much doubt) and they changed their votes – this likely wouldn't be enough to change a government. Besides this, there are more issues than climate change on the table that influence peoples votes. In fact, it could be argued that negative gearing and franking credits had a far bigger influence on the election result than did the climate – yet the finger is pointed at farmers.

3. FARMERS ARE THE CAUSE OF GLOBAL WARMING: It seems we are environmental vandals, we are burning copious amounts of fossil fuels, our massive land clearing releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and cow burps and farts are the potential last straw in the emission of methane. The answer is seemingly to for us all to stop eating meat and producing less intensive crops. Yes, it can certainly be argued that we are a contributor. But it's a very long bow to say that we are the cause.

4. FARMERS ARE NOT ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE: Not true. In fact, I would say nothing is further from the truth. Even those who are sceptical about human involvement in climate change would generally agree that the climate is changing – and are adapting accordingly. In the last 20-30 years there has been a massive change in the way we farm, with a huge swing to no till. This has meant less cultivation, meaning less erosion, less burning of fossil fuels, increasing soil carbon levels and building of soil structures through better rotations. There is a greater understanding of soil science, nutrition and fertility – and increases in water use efficiency not thought possible even 10 years ago. There are similar changes in the livestock industries. I believe their conscientious level of education and understanding in agriculture in managing a changing climate cannot be questioned.

Sadly, farmers are being seen as the scapegoats when most should be held up and applauded for their innovation, dedication and passion in dealing with a changing climate. Farmers may not always articulate their position very well – but they are just getting on with it.

We SHOULD discuss and argue with each other about whether global warming is real and whether climate change is really happening. We SHOULD debate the science, and world leaders should come together to make hard decisions for the future of the planet. As more peer reviewed science comes forward and is accepted as fact, we have a duty to our children and grandchildren to make the best decisions environmentally, socially and economically for their futures.

But can we stop blaming it all on farmers? We have been quietly adapting to changing climates for the past 100 + years, and we will continue to into the future. Please support us in those changes, so we can continue to support and feed you.

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