With a climate change bill nearing completion at Stormont, it is vital that farmers understand what is being proposed, what will be expected of them in the future and the wider implications of this legislation on the agri-food sector in NI.

The climate change summit outlined the facts as we currently know them and what the science says.

Speakers at the event outlined the expert advice given by the UK Climate Change Committee and how this has been incorporated into potential legislation.

Target

That advice is for NI to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 82% by 2050 as part of an overall UK net-zero target by that date.

However, that potential target has since been amended by politicians at Stormont to net zero emissions by 2050.

What that might mean in practice for NI farmers was explored, along with the wider economic impact on the agri-food sector as a whole.

Farmers are crucial to tackling climate change. We must all work together and to do that, it is important that targets are challenging, but achievable.