Towards a regulatory framework for climate smart agriculture (part I: evaluation Australian carbon farming initiative)

This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Marie Sklodowska curie grant agreement No. 655565.Between now and 2050, there will be a sharp increase in the demand of agricultural products due to an increase of the world’s population, the rise in global calorie intake due to greater affluence, and the production of bio-fuels. The increase in agricultural production will be accompanied by an increase in the emission of greenhouse gasses. Agriculture is responsible for 30% of global greenhouse emissions. Agriculture is not only a major cause of climate change but in many regions of the world, it is also seriously impacted by climate change. In many regions, produce will be negatively affected because of shifts in water availability, temperature shifts, and changes in the occurrence of pests.Policy documents, mostly by international institutions, have endorsed climate smart agriculture (CSA) as a means to achieve production growth, while at the same reducing the emission of greenhouse gasses and adapting the agricultural sector to the changing climate. However, it is as yet unclear through what legal mechanism CSA can be achieved. The key objective of this project is to identify the main elements of a regulatory framework that enables, facilitates and stimulates the transition of conventional farm practices toward ‘climate friendly’ practices in the EU. Various methodologies will be used, such as an evaluation of the Australian Carbon Farming Initiative Act, to date the world’s only comprehensive regulatory instrument aimed at facilitating climate smart agriculture.