£2.5 Million Funding Boost for UK Farming Sector’s Role in Achieving Net Zero by 2050

New Research Project Aims to Support UK’s Net Zero Goals Through Sustainable Land Use

The UK's national strategy, known as the Net Zero Strategy: “Build Back Greener”, outlines comprehensive policies and proposals aimed at decarbonizing all sectors of the economy. The strategy’s goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, ensuring that the amount of emissions produced is balanced by the amount removed from the atmosphere. A consortium led by the University of Gloucestershire has been awarded over £2.5 million in funding for a research project that will allow the UK to achieve its goal of net zero by 2050. The initiative is a key element of the ‘Transforming Land Use for Net Zero, Nature and People (LUNZ)’ program, a strategic effort to drive collaborative research between industry stakeholders and government entities. The focus is to support the UK in achieving its net zero goals by adopting sustainable land use practices.

The grant is co-funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), Defra, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), and has been co-designed in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), Welsh Government, and the Scottish Government. The three-year project, led by the University’s Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI), will focus on how the land use sector can contribute to the UK’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Achieving net zero will require substantial changes in land use, including modifications to farming practices.

The CCRI will collaborate with Cranfield University, Harper Adams University, the University of Aberdeen, and Scotland’s Rural College, alongside three leading greenhouse gas accounting organizations, AgreCalc, Farm-Carbon-Toolkit, and the Cool Farm Alliance. Additionally, Savills Natural Capital Team will be involved in the project.
While a range of tools are already available to help farmers measure the emissions they produce (GHG accounting), the inconsistency and overwhelming number of these tools have created challenges. To address this issue, the new project, titled ‘To Zero Fifty’ Greenhouse Gas Accounting Living Lab, will develop a unified accounting framework for the UK farming and food sector, aimed at more effectively measuring and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This initiative seeks to streamline the process and support the transition to a more sustainable agricultural system, in line with the UK’s climate goals.

Julie Ingram, Professor of Innovation for Sustainable Agriculture at CCRI, expressed enthusiasm about the project, highlighting its potential to bring together experts from academia, the farming community, and key stakeholders in supply chains and policy. She emphasized that collaborating with the three main greenhouse gas accounting companies and engaging with 100 farms across the UK will allow the team to develop a scalable solution to this critical industry challenge. Professor Damian Maye, another key contributor to the project, explained that the CCRI’s longstanding research on the social, economic, technological, and political implications of transitions in food and farming would offer valuable insights, thereby adding depth to the new initiative.

The ‘To Zero Fifty’ project represents a significant step toward supporting the UK’s net zero goals by 2050. By developing a unified greenhouse gas accounting framework for the agricultural sector, this initiative will help streamline emissions measurement and foster more sustainable farming practices, contributing to the country’s climate targets.

Editor’s Note:

The £2.5 million grant awarded to the University of Gloucestershire-led consortium is a significant step forward in the UK’s efforts to reach net zero emissions by 2050. The project will create a unified framework for measuring greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture, helping to improve land use practices and make them more sustainable. With the involvement of leading institutions and key stakeholders, this initiative is set to play a crucial role in the country’s climate action plan.

Skoobuzz believes this project is an essential move towards achieving a sustainable future. Streamlining emissions measurement in the agriculture sector and will help to frame more effective climate strategies, benefiting both the environment and the agricultural industry.