Advisory letter: Farmers are indispensable to meet climate goals
For agriculture to contribute to a climate-neutral and climate-resilient society, climate and environmental goals must be part of agricultural policy. This is necessary because of agriculture's dual role in the climate challenge: its large contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and its vulnerability to their effects.
Farmers and horticulturists are indispensable in the climate challenge: they can only take up their role if they have a broad perspective. A perspective that goes further than financial and economic (the revenue model) alone; it is also about long-term clarity and goals, the ability to manage one's own affairs, appreciation and recognition, and a fair distribution of tasks and revenues throughout the chain. Policy falls short on all these aspects and this is not the way to achieve sustainable agriculture and a climate-neutral and climate-resistant Netherlands. First of all, rebuilding of trust is crucial to achieve climate goals in the long term, also after 2030. This is evident from the Scientific Climate Council's advisory letter 'Farming in a Changing Climate'.
Towards sustainable agriculture and horticulture
Jan Willem Erisman, chairman of the WKR and member of the committee that prepared the advice:
Without perspective, such as clarity on frameworks and consistent policy, farmers cannot make their contribution to a climate-neutral and resistant society. Politicians from left to right, representatives within the sector, farmers themselves and also citizens; everyone agrees: we must move towards sustainable agriculture and horticulture. Yet policy for this is not getting off the ground.
The agricultural sector causes many greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to climate change; the effects of climate change also make farms vulnerable in their operations. This is due, for example, to structurally more dry and wet periods. And at the same time, farmers are important for managing nature, soil and water to combat climate change.
In the future, farmers will remain important for food supply, social cohesion and employment in rural areas. Providing them with a future requires a broad conception of perspective. Without this perspective, climate and environmental goals will not get any closer. In addition, firm direction from the central government on the frameworks and restoration of trust are necessary preconditions.
Five recommendations for sustainable agricultural policy
The WKR is presenting the following five recommendations to the government which, together, can expand this broad perspective for farmers and the agricultural sector more than existing plans.
- The WKR recommends that the government sets short- and long-term frameworks and goals for agriculture, particularly in relation to climate and the environment. These frameworks and goals provide clarity and an essential foundation for goal-based regulations.
- The WKR recommends that the government works closely with farmers (and their representatives) when deciding on the future of agriculture. The process can be facilitated by inviting the various agricultural sectors to indicate how they intend to fulfil climate and environmental goals, and by integrating their input into subsequent discussions with other stakeholders. Rebuilding mutual trust among all parties involved is a fundamental prerequisite in this process.
- The WKR recommends that the government implements specific policies to create an expanding and economically viable sales market for sustainably produced agricultural and horticultural products.
- The WKR recommends that the government offers farmers both financial assistance and practical guidance to facilitate their switch to a business model compliant with the above mentioned climate and environmental frameworks.
- The WKR recommends that the government invests in initiatives designed to enhance cooperation between farmers and consumers, while also fostering partnerships within the farming community.
Letter advice: 'Farming in a changing climate'
This advice was initiated by the WKR itself, partly in response to concerns about the vulnerability of agriculture to climate change, the fact that the Netherlands is not on track to meet climate goals, and the large share of the agriculture and horticulture sector in both the climate problem and the solution.
About the Netherlands Scientific Climate Council (WKR)
The WKR is tasked with delivering science-based, strategic climate policy advice for the Dutch government and parliament, both solicited and unsolicited. The WKR works independently and interdisciplinary, and mainly focuses on the long term in their advice reports.