RIRDC - Research Compendium 1993

Rural Industries
Research & Development Corporation

Research Compendium 1993 - 1994

Research Project

GCTE WORKSHOP ON POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTIONS ON AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURE

Objective

To bring together researchers, research planners and funding agencies to consider the economic implications of ABARE research report Potential Impacts of Reductions in Greenhouse Emissions on Australian Agriculture: A Regional Analysis as part of the Global Change in Terrestrial Ecosystems Workshop on the impacts of global change on rangelands and improved pasture.

Background

The estimated cost of meeting the emissions target of a 20 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from Australian broadacre agriculture is $652 million. The estimate is based on modelling of farms producing wool, sheepmeat, beef, cereals and other grains. The modelling was carried out by ABARE with financial support from the RIRDC and is designed to assist in the development of greenhouse gas response strategies for the Australian agricultural sector at a state and regional level.

Research

The 'Global Change and Terrestrial Ecosystems Workshop' was held from 12 July to 15 July in Canberra at CSIRO Division of Wildlife and Ecology in Gungahlin. The workshop was to consider the driving forces of climate atmosphere and socio-economic externalities and how they would affect the underlying ecological system, before drawing conclusions for different land uses and regional policy making in the Australian Rangelands. The initial emphasis was heavily scientific with some sociological input. RIRDC assistance allowed for an economic input from ABARE which would not otherwise have existed.

Outcomes

The results of the workshop are incorporated in the workshop report. It was published as a GCTE/CSIRO working paper. The main outcomes of this RIRDC funded project was to increase the level of economic input into the technical workshop which would otherwise have been entirely scientific. The value of this input was expressed by the organisers.

Implications

The limited number of economists taking a direct interest in greenhouse gas emissions from Australian agriculture suggests that further presentation of results of research in this field is needed before useful discussions can be held. A presentation on the research was made at Orange and Sydney in July 1995 and a further presentation is planned for Melbourne later this year. Both these presentations are funded by RIRDC as part of the original research reported in Research Report 94.5.

RIRDC Project No: ABA-2A

RESEARCHER: Dr Nigel Hall

ORGANISATION: Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics

GPO Box 1563

CANBERRA ACT 2601

PHONE: 06 272 2037

FAX: 06 272 2001

PUBLICATIONS:

ABARE Research Report 94.5, Potential Impacts of Reductions in Greenhouse Gas Emissions on Australian Agriculture: A Regional Analysis.