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Renewables, Climate and Future Industries Tasmania

Fact sheet - Tasmania's agriculture sector

Download the Action Plan Fact sheet - Tasmania's agriculture sector (PDF)

Tasmania’s Climate Change Action Plan 2023-25

Tasmania’s Climate Change Action Plan 2023-25 outlines the Tasmanian Government’s plan for action on climate change for the next two years. It will support Tasmania’s transition to a low emissions economy, to help us reach our target to maintain net zero greenhouse gas emissions, or lower, from 2030.

Action plan priority areas

  1. Information and Knowledge

    We will ensure our businesses, industries, governments and communities can make informed decisions by providing up-to-date, high quality and user‑friendly information about Tasmania’s emissions, our future climate, and emissions reduction, sequestration and adaptation opportunities.

  2. Transition and Innovation

    We will reduce our emissions and increase our carbon sequestration by making the most of opportunities using existing and emerging technologies, and support business, industry and the community through the transition to a low emissions economy.

  3. Adaptation and Resilience

We will manage the risks and take advantage of the potential opportunities from climate change, support planning and decision making, and build the resilience of our communities, environments, industries and infrastructure.

Developing the plan

To develop the action plan, we consulted state and local government, business, industry, non‑government organisations and the community. We used the best available science and were informed by the outcomes of the most recent independent review of the Climate Change (State Action) Act 2008 and the Tasmanian Emissions Pathway Review. The action plan aligns with other Tasmanian Government policies and considers developments in other Australian jurisdictions, including the Australian Government’s climate change initiatives.

Supporting Tasmania’s agriculture sector in the transition to a low emissions economy

Tasmania has a diverse agriculture sector, which is a major contributor to our employment and economy. The Tasmanian Government recognises the important role of agriculture in Tasmania and is committed to sustainably growing the sector.

Greenhouse gas emissions

The latest data show that in 2021 Tasmania’s agriculture sector accounted for 33.1 per cent of Tasmania’s emissions, excluding the land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector.

Tasmanian emissions from agriculture ‑ 1990 to 2021

This figure includes an area chart that shows the change in Tasmania’s emissions from agriculture between 1990 and 2021. It shows emissions decreased from 2.61 Mt CO2-e in 1990 to a minimum of 2.13 Mt CO2-e in 2010, before gradually increasing to 2.76 Mt CO2-e in 2021. The figure also includes a pie chart that shows agriculture was responsible for 33.1 per cent of Tasmania’s emissions, excluding LULUCF, in 2021.

More information about Tasmania’s emissions is available in the greenhouse gas report, published annually by the Climate Change Office and available on the ReCFIT website: www.recfit.tas.gov.au/tasmanias_greenhouse_gas_emissions

Emissions Reduction and Resilience Plans

We will work with business and industry to develop an Emissions Reduction and Resilience Plan for the agriculture sector by November 2024. That plan will ensure that we take a practical and balanced approach to reduce emissions from the sector and build its resilience to the impacts of a changing climate.

Taking practical action over the next two years

We recognise the need to take action on climate change while the sector-based Emissions Reduction and Resilience Plans are being developed.

Emissions reduction

The 2021 Tasmanian Emissions Pathway Review identified two best-fit emissions reduction opportunities for Tasmania’s agriculture sector:

  • Reduce agricultural soil emissions through precision agriculture and regenerative farming practices.
  • Reduce methane emissions from livestock by introducing feed supplements that inhibit enteric fermentation.

Under the action plan, the government will support a large-scale trial of Asparagopsis seaweed, or other feed supplements, to reduce emissions from livestock, and improve productivity.

We will also support Private Forests Tasmania to deliver grants for landowners to increase tree plantings on their properties. This is aimed at increasing carbon sequestration and has other benefits, including improved farm productivity, water quality and biodiversity and reduced soil erosion.

These initiatives will complement existing programs such as the Carbon Farming Advice Rebate Pilot Program, the Landcare Action Grants Program and developing a framework to support the adoption of precision agriculture in Tasmania.

Adaptation and resilience

The projected changes to the Tasmanian climate will have significant impacts on agricultural businesses at farm, industry and regional levels. Temperature has historically been a major driver for the choice and management of crops and pastures, and changes in temperature will bring risks, but also opportunities, for the sector.

Under the action plan, the government will update Tasmania’s fine-scale climate projections to support business, industry, community and government to understand the projected future climate for Tasmania, and plan for and build resilience to the impacts of a variable and changing climate.

Tasmania’s Enterprise Suitability Maps will be updated to incorporate the latest climate projections, and extend the maps out to 2100, to support decision making in the agriculture sector.

These new actions will support existing and ongoing investment to increase the resilience of Tasmania’s agriculture sector, such as the Farm Business Resilience Program, Regional Drought Resilience Program and investment in irrigation infrastructure to meet increased demand.