Agriculture is one of our biggest and most complex environmental and net zero challenges. It is also one of the areas where climate action and nature recovery can come together most powerfully.

This new Fit for the Future virtual discussion group will provide members with an opportunity to share questions, approaches, challenges, opportunities, resources/tools, progress and lessons learnt with members from across the network in an informal and friendly environment.  

This group will bring members together to discuss a range of topics, areas for discussion include (and are not limited to):

·       Understanding the wide range of environmental impacts and opportunities of agriculture

·       Decarbonising agriculture:

o   Understanding, measuring your baseline and reducing scope 1 and 2 emissions*

o   Understanding, measuring your baseline and reducing scope 3 emissions** (working with tenants, supply chains and customers)

·       Agriculture and net zero

·       Water management

·       Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

·       Soil health and conservation

·       Nature friendly farming e.g. Agroforestry, creating field margins, planting hedgerows, restoring traditional hay meadows, using livestock for conservation grazing and other initiatives to support and restore nature

·       Agriculture and climate change (understanding risks and resilience strategies)

·       Environmentally sustainable agriculture principles that members have or would like to develop

·       What does a good organisational environmentally sustainable agriculture policy look like?

·       How to introduce environmentally sustainable agriculture policies, prioritise and set targets

·       How to develop and implement an impactful environmentally sustainable agriculture strategy and action plan

·       Internal communication and buy-in of environmentally sustainable agriculture strategy.  How do you embed in your organisation’s culture?

·       Working with tenant farmers and other partners

·       Compliance and standards

·       Connecting with government and other stakeholders

·       Resources, guidance and case studies that can support you

Once you have registered, we will be in touch to identify any specific topics you would like the group to focus on.  Where possible we will identify a suitable guest speaker.

*Scope 1: Direct emissions from owned or controlled sources.  Includes on-site energy (natural gas and fuel), refrigerants, other combustion and fleet vehicles

*Scope 2: Indirect emissions from purchased energy e.g. electricity 

*Scope 3: Indirect value chain emissions, the result of activities from assets not owned or controlled by an organisation, includes:

o   Purchased goods and services (supply chains) 

o   Business travel and Employee commuting 

o   Waste disposal 

o   Use of sold products 

o   Transportation and distribution (up- and downstream) 

o   Investments 

o   Leased assets and franchises