Australia’s livestock sector recognised for climate initiatives
Industry body Meat & Livestock Australia has been recognised for its Carbon Neutral by 2030 (CN30) initiative, which aims to make the sector carbon neutral by 2030.
Judges at the Australian Financial Review Sustainability Leaders Awards recognised the scheme with an ESG Enabler special prize in the agriculture category.
In 2020 – the most recent year data is available - the Australian beef industry reduced its net carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by 64.9% since the 2005 baseline.
Investment in CN30 had been greater than A$140 million since 2017.
MLA managing director Jason Strong said CN30 “is highly ambitious with clear targets for the industry, while also going hand-in-hand with the industry’s goal of doubling the value of red meat sales by 2030”.
He added: “On-farm changes that result in a reduction in net emissions often create co-benefits such as increased productivity and profitability, long term business sustainability, improved biodiversity and other ecosystem service values. These co-benefits converge to build enduring prosperity for red meat industry stakeholders.”
