Reducing the overall quantity of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to zero is the goal of reaching net zero. The NFU stated that achieving that by 2040 was “tricky” due to the previous government’s lack of investment in climate-friendly farming practices, but they reaffirmed that the deadline would not be extended.
In the meantime, the Soil Association issued a warning, stating that “without radical changes,” UK agriculture will not be able to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions.
The Climate Change Act has made the UK’s goal of being net zero by 2050 legally binding.
The NFU established its own goal in 2019 to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture in England and Wales by the year 2040. The net zero goal in Scotland is 2045.
Currently, agriculture contributes about 12% of the greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. The main sources of these emissions are methane from ruminant animals and nitrous oxide from fertilizers and manure, with carbon dioxide from energy and fuel contributing substantially less.
