Ernst & Young
Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2019)
Reporting Period: 2019
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Sustainability
- Economic Growth
- Social Outcomes
Environmental Achievements
- 63% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions intensity from Australian agriculture between 1996-2016
Social Achievements
- Approximately 1.6 million jobs created in the Australian agricultural supply chain in 2016-17
- 94% of Australian farmers actively undertaking natural resource management
Governance Achievements
- National Primary Industries Research, Development and Extension Framework (NPIRDE Framework) introduced in 2005 to promote collaboration and continuous improvement in the investment of RD&E
Climate Goals & Targets
Long-term Goals:
- Establish an Australian agricultural innovation system that is cohesive, coherent, fit for the future and globally recognised by 2050
Environmental Challenges
- Siloed agricultural innovation with independently set strategic priorities
- Insufficient investment in agricultural innovation compared to other countries
- Risk-averse innovation culture
- Fragmented extension services
- Inadequate data infrastructure
- Complex regulatory environment
Mitigation Strategies
- Establish shared priorities and ecosystem leadership
- Shift investment balance towards transformational outcomes and increase private sector involvement
- Foster a more dynamic innovation culture
- Strengthen regional roles and extension services
- Enhance data infrastructure and use
- Create a more flexible regulatory environment
Supply Chain Management
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Climate variability, extreme weather events