The WA Landcare Network has identified landcare as a major player in climate action with its recent submission to the State Government’s call for public comment on its Climate Change Issues Paper.

In its submission WALN Executive Officer, Louise Duxbury on behalf of the WA Landcare Network:

• applauds the WA Government’s aspirational goal of achieving net zero GHG emissions by 2050.  To give security to the Landcare community WA Landcare Network recommends that this goal become a firm legislated commitment with a roadmap for achievement from 2020 to 2050.
• supports in full the Farmers for Climate Action in their Rural Futures Taskforce Report (2018) outlining additional support, funding and regulation needed for the sector to continue sustainably into the future. The farming practices that form the regenerative farming movement are Landcare in action and should be actively supported.
• seeks better recognition of the important role that the community plays in protecting the coast. The CHRMAP process is an important context for management that should be given greater legal weight.
• recommends appointment of a dedicated coastal office with adequate resources, and a dedicated Minister to specifically address the impacts of climate change on coasts and seas, and to assist local governments and the community to implement adaptation measures and recommends that the volunteer statewide coastal network be supported.
• recommends a strengthening of land clearing legislation and monitoring and support for carbon farming based on ecological restoration is recommended.  This mean using local endemic species, making connections across landscapes and involving local communities and in particular First Nation peoples.
• recommends that a report on vegetation cover and condition across WA is conducted as soon as possible to provide a benchmark for climate change mitigation and carbon sequestration reporting.
• recommends that the Government meet with WA Landcare Network to map out, in the first half of 2020, how we can help with practical delivery of the State Framework for NRM in the context of climate change to meet the State Government’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.

Read the WA Landcare Network Submission in full below:

Submissions by the WA Landare Network on: Government of WA, Department Water and Environment Regulations, Climate Change Issues Paper

Context

The WA Landcare Network Inc (WALN) is the peak landcare body for Western Australia. It was established in 2013 to fill the current gap in represention and support for WA’s over 700 landcare groups at the state and national levels. Community Landcare has a 30 year history in WA and WALN has continued this legacy by being owned by its members – grassroots landcarers.  WALN is focused on providing improved support, coordination and capacity building to landcare groups and increasing Landcare’s input into government and industry decision making. It is a member of and works closely with the National Landcare Network (NLN).

The WA Landcare Network offers membership to incorporated groups and networks as well as producer groups or similar voluntary organisations. Groups may be called Bushcare, Rivercare, Caring for Country, Dunecare or Coastcare or have a local name, but are all a form of Landcare and are part of the Landcare movement. Individuals, local governments and businesses are encouraged to become Associate Members of WA Landcare Network.

Impacts of climate change

The impacts of climate change on Western Australia’s lands, coast and seas is of major concern to our 100 member groups and the Landcare community in general.

Landcare is not just about restoring and protecting Western Australia’s environment. It is an integral part of achieving sustainable land-use – agricultural, pastoral, coastal and urban – and has particular importance in building stronger and more diverse regional and urban communities and economies.  These objectives are far more challenging to achieve in the context of climate change impacts.

The discussion paper identifies that ‘the State’s South West region [is] impacted by climate change more than almost any other place on the planet’.  This is certainly the experience reported back from the community to the WA Landcare Network at events such as the recent State NRM and Coastal Conference October 2019.  Western Australia as a state produces more Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHGs) per head of population than other states in Australia and has a responsibility to response to do our fair share of reducing emissions to at least meet the Paris Agreement of keeping temperature rise to well below 2°C.  (Climate Analytics, 2019 p 3)

Agriculture and Forestry

While the Agriculture sector is responsible for 10% of WA emissions excluding emissions from electricity and fuel use, it has been noted that it is on an upward trend since 2008 (Climate Analytics, 2019). The impacts of climate change on the Agricultural sector is great.  Water availability and security is a central issue to landholders and communities.  Reduced rainfall, changes in rainfall occurrence, reduced runoff, reduced stored water, more hot days leading to increased evaporation and competition for water resources are already been experienced.  Increased extreme weather events and higher fire risk potential are of major concern.

In their 2030 Roadmap the National Farmers Federation identify Climate Change as a key driver of change representing a major threat and with some opportunities.  The report summarized the Outlook as:

Climate change will play a major role in Australian agriculture’s next decade, exacerbating climate risk while creating diverse new income opportunities.  Australia’s policy response can position us as a global leader in low-emissions agriculture.  Done poorly, our policy response could saddle farm businesses with additional costs.

Farmers in many areas have already been adapting their enterprises to the changing climate with changes in species cropped, businesses streams, timing for seeding, weeding and harvesting and using a range of regenerative/sustainable farming practices to retain water and soil on farms, store organic matter, increasing biological activity in soils, store carbon and reduce chemical and fertilizer use and run off.

The Carbon Budget for WA report (Climate Analytics, 2019 p 56) indicates that emission reductions from agriculture (and waste) sectors will be very difficult to bring to a zero net emission status. Negative emissions will need to be achieved in other sectors to account for the agriculture and waste emissions at the same time as reducing emissions in these sectors.

Farm forestry, trees planted for multiple purposes on already cleared land, is an important contributor to GHG abatement but has not been well supported over the past two decades.  The Carbon Budget Report ((Climate Analytics, 2019) indicates that not only does native vegetation clearing and deforestation need to stop by 2025 but there is opportunity to create a large sink through reafforestation to reduce emissions in the atmosphere over the next decades once emissions are brought to zero net new emissions.  This will need to be done well to maximize multiple benefits for carbon sequestration and positive biodiversity and community outcomes.  The NFF 2030 Roadmap (2018) quotes CSIRO data that indicates the carbon market could provide $40 billion to the Australian land sector by 2050 providing opportunities for agriculture.  This requires the setting of a carbon market.  Western Australia could play a significant role in taking up this opportunity providing the right policy settings.  State governments are primarily responsible for state of environment and are leading in may other parts of Australia.

Coasts and Seas

The Government Climate Change Discussion Paper points to the rate of sea level rise on the west coast of the State already being experienced at ‘almost three times the global average’ and the significant impacts of extreme weather events on coastal morphology and infrastructure.

The Climate Analytics Carbon Budget for WA (2019) emphasizes the significant risks from temperature rises above the Paris Agreement of 1.5°C.  Temperature rise and level of impact is not a straight line.  The Report shows just how critical it is for every Australia state and the federal government to develop a commensurately serious response.

Sea level rise is causing escalating problems on the coast, with accelerating beach erosion and retreat threatening infrastructure, homes and lifestyles and are the first signs of the consequences of the accelerating global sea level rise now being observed in many towns and coastal parts of Western Australia. As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on 1.5°C (IPCC SR15) has established, every increment of global warming will rapidly escalate damages, impacts and risks. WA’s coral reefs, such as at Ningaloo, face losses of 70-90% with 1.5°C of warming, and virtually complete losses of more than 99% with 2°C of global mean warming above pre-industrial levels. (p3)

The number of Urban and Coastal landcare groups and First Nations caring for coast and country groups has been rising over the past two decades. (WA Landcare Network, State of Landcare in WA 2017) There is growing concern about climate change impacts and a desire to help with adaptation.  Resources to facilitate education and locally driven protection and adaptation has been diminished rather than growing during this period.  There are positive stories that show how this can be done such as the joint coast and marine management plan being done by the Bardi Jawi First Nations peoples, state government and other stakehholders on the Dampier Peninsula. On the other hand, some local government/ community initiatives such as the South Coast Management Group and CoastSWAP have folded due to funding being discontinued.

At the State NRM and Coastal Conference 2019 the of WA Coastal and Marine Networking Workshop participants expressed their concerns and agreed to meet post Conference to set up a volunteer statewide coastal network.  This is an important initiative worth supporting.

Biodiversity

Climate change is impacting our flora and fauna and the integrity of ecological function across whole landscapes.  Fires are occurring at a frequency and intensity that has not been experience by our current environment and in a timeframe that that does not allow for adaption.  Other pressures have already impacted of the ability of our environment to adapt. The feedback loops between the crises of climate change of biodiversity degradation and loss have more recently been recognized.

While recognition that climate change is already having an adverse impact on biodiversity and the ecosystems it underpins is growing, there is much less awareness of the impact of biodiversity loss and damage to ecosystems on climate change. (Young, 2019 p 2)

Young (2019) points out the ‘profound implications for fighting climate change in the fact that damaged ecosystems are at higher risk of releasing carbon to the atmosphere and store far less carbon, less securely, than undamaged ecosystems’.  This additionality of risk is not fully understood or reflected in climate models, policy and action.

There are initiatives that are working at scale to give the best chance possible for biodiversity to adapt to climate change.  These initiatives provide cross landscape biodiversity connections, seek to undertake significant ecological restoration works, support the retention of current remnant vegetation and communication across land managers and communities to act together.  There are landcare champions, individuals and organisations, who should be supporting in this important work across private and public land.

Community

The State Government Climate Change Issues paper highlights that climate change will drive greater rates of extremes in temperatures, weather conditions and events that will demand high levels of adaptation, disaster preparedness and response (p2).  Western Australia is particularly vulnerable with over 85% of its population living in Perth and larger regional centres.  This leaves rural, regional and remote communities both at higher risk and with greater responsibility in responding to crises and disasters.

The connection between ecosystem health and human health is now well recognized.  The increase in physical and mental health issues experienced in rural communities accompanies heightened stress.  The connection between ecosystem and human health is particularly apparent in First Nation communities. First Nation peoples benefit enormously by being engaged in caring for coast and country, physically, mentally and economically.

Landcare is at the heart of many communities and has been recognized in the recent NSW and Victorian fires as early responders with established networks and support mechanisms.  To be effective, landcare groups need state government support to continue their roles in communities to protect soil, coasts, water and biodiversity and build landscape and community resilience.

 

WALN Recommendations in Response to Climate Issues Paper

1.   Targets and Legislation

The WA Landcare Network applauds the WA Government’s aspirational goal of achieving net zero GHG emissions by 2050.  To give security to the Landcare community WA Landcare Network recommends that this goal become a firm legislated commitment with a roadmap for achievement from 2020 to 2050.

This will require clear interim targets for each sector.  For example, Western Australia does not have a renewable energy target such as exists in almost every other state.  Clear and mandated targets help to drive change and provided added security for investment in new renewable energy initiatives.  Distributed renewable energy is a potential local job and investment opportunity for regional, rural and remote communities.

The recently release Carbon Budget for WA (Climate Analytics, Nov 2019) has provided indicative reduction targets to meet the zero emissions target of 2050.

With the right policies and modern technologies, Western Australia can spread this budget over the next 30 years, so that it achieves zero CO2 emissions by 2050, but the pathway to stay within this budget is critical: CO2 emission reductions of about 37% by 2030, 81% by 2040 (all compared to 2005) and zero emissions by 2050 are needed.

2.  Agriculture and forestry

Farmers for Climate Action in their Rural Futures Taskforce Report (2018) outlined the additional support, funding and regulation needed for the sector to continue sustainably into the future, in the box below, and are supported by WALN in full.

The farming practices that form the regenerative farming movement are Landcare in action and should be actively supported. It is recommended that the State Government continue to support and increase community Landcare, First Nation initiatives and Grower Groups support based on meeting soil and biodiversity condition improvements.

Farmers for Climate Action in their Rural Futures Taskforce Report (2018) outlined the additional support, funding and regulation needed for the sector to continue sustainably into the future.  WALN supports their recommendations:

• Integrate best practice and climate smart agricultural practices to improve the health of ecosystems, sequester carbon, enhance nutrient recycling and strengthen resilience to the impacts of a changing climate.
• Protect water systems from the impacts of inappropriate use and provide incentives for effective water quality management practices, drawing on previous water reform recommendations such as the National Water Initiative and others to ensure access for sustainable farming practices and other uses into the future.
• Restore land and improve soil quality through carbon farming and other measures while protecting agricultural land from competing uses such as mining and urban development.
• Provide adequate resources to research and extension programs to help farmers adapt to changing climate patterns and seasons.
• Provide economic incentives to encourage regenerative practices, including measures to adequately price externalities.
• Support schemes to enable farmers to make a sustainable living on the land through complementary income generating activities such as installing renewable energy projects on farm land; carbon farming and water quality initiatives.
• Support initiatives to add value to raw products locally by:
  –      Researching, developing and marketing new products such as degradable cellulose, starchbased packaging and bio-fuels.
  –      Providing funding and training support to develop new business models and market supply chains.
  –      Drawing on new digital technologies and cheap, renewable energy to make regional processing more competitive.
• Encourage innovation and technology compatible with strengthening ecosystems, this includes investment in renewable energy technologies, automation and digital technologies for communication and monitoring.
• Develop the digital communication and transport infrastructure and supply chain systems needed to access both domestic and international markets.
• Build on growing consumer awareness and interest in ethical, nutritious food to:
  –      Ensure fair prices for farmers
  –      Address growing food insecurity
  –      Support the development of fresh food precincts near major transportation hubs, as well as regional food hubs and community supported agriculture to strengthen local food markets
  –      Support local food processing to generate additional local value
  –      Develop food provenance initiatives
  –      Create greater accountability and transparency along food and fibre distribution chains to ensure the equitable sharing of both benefits and responsibilities
  
• Investigate and invest in effective ways to finance production in the AFF sector, such as cooperatives, community finance and blockchain technology.
• Provide incentives and training schemes to support young people to build their careers in the agriculture sector in order to address projected gaps in the workforce as older farmers retire, and to develop the necessary skills to adapt to the growing automation and digitisation of the sector.
• Remove barriers and provide incentives to encourage farmers to diversify their income sources. This includes recognising and celebrating the crucial role women, local businesses and others play in generating the off-farm revenue. Such revenue not only diversifies and sustains the income of farming households, but also subsidises agriculture to make it viable and resilient to shocks such as drought over the long-term. (Cahill, pp 15-16)

3.   Coast and Seas

WA Landcare Network seeks better recognition of the important role that the community plays in protecting the coast. The CHRMAP process is an important context for management that should be given greater legal weight.

Monitoring of fish stocks and marine habitats is essential to guide management decisions to protect fish stocks and marine and coastal environments long term.  A Citizen Science approach where the community in trained and guided on how to collect data under supervision of scientists is an important approach that connects community to their environment and assists in ongoing data collection.

It is important to recognise and protect the intrinsic values of the coast and that when assessing management options that public benefits is given preference over private benefits. This should include exempting local governments from legal liability when they make decisions which preference public benefits over private benefits.

WA Landcare Network recommends appointment of a dedicated coastal office with adequate resources, and a dedicated Minister to specifically address the impacts of climate change on coasts and seas, and to assist local governments and the community to implement adaptation measures.  We recommend that the volunteer statewide coastal network be supported.

4.  Biodiversity

To address the intertwined crises of biodiversity degradation and climate change it is recommended that the WA Government seek meaningful ways to improve the protection, restoration and management of natural ecosystems and in particular high integrity, bio-diverse, carbon rich ecosystems such as forests and woodlands.

A strengthening of land clearing legislation and monitoring and support for carbon farming based on ecological restoration is recommended.  This mean using local endemic species, making connections across landscapes and involving local communities and in particular First Nation peoples.

Based on anecdotal evidence and partial state government collected data on land clearing applications, WA Landcare Network is concerned that we may be experiencing a net reduction rather than increase in vegetation cover.  WA Landcare Network recommends that a report on vegetation cover and condition across WA is conducted as soon as possible to provide a benchmark for climate change mitigation and carbon sequestration reporting.

5.  Community Resilience

The WA Government needs communities across the state to embrace action on climate change to give the government the backing it needs to meet our Paris agreement targets.  The Issues paper has been a good start.  It is important to recognise that while individuals need to do their part to reduce emissions significant changes require appropriate government commitments and policy settings.

The State Government has the opportunity to take a key role in making this state a leader in addressing Climate Change.  The transition to a net zero future has opportunities in new industries and employment opportunities but needs to be managed to provide a fair transition.

Community Landcare is a strong and enduring network of groups across Western Australia supporting positive changes for land, water, biodiversity, coastal and marine landscapes and resilience.  We recommend that the Government meet with WA Landcare Network to map out, in the first half of 2020, how we can help with practical delivery of the State Framework for NRM in the context of climate change to meet the State Government’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.

Thank you for this opportunity to make comment.

Dr Louise Duxbury

Executive Officer WA Landcare Network

 

References:

Cahill, A., 2018.  ‘The Rural Futures Taskforce Report.’ Farmers for Climate Action & The Next Economy. Brisbane, Australia.

Climate Analytics, 2019. A 1.5% Compatible Carbon Budget for Western Australia: WA’s role in implementing the Paris Agreement and capturing opportunities in a decarbonizing global economy.

IPCC, 2018: Summary for Policymakers. In: Global Warming of 1.5°C. An IPCC Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty. [Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, H.-O. Pörtner, D. Roberts, J. Skea, P.R. Shukla, A. Pirani, W. Moufouma-Okia, C. Péan, R. Pidcock, S. Connors, J.B.R. Matthews, Y. Chen, X. Zhou, M.I. Gomis, E. Lonnoy, T. Maycock, M. Tignor, and T. Waterfield (eds.)].

National Farmers’ Federation (2018) 2030 Roadmap: Australian Agriculture’s Plan for a $100 Billion Industry.

WA Landcare Network, 2017.  State of landcare in WA 2016: Version 1.0. (Ed. Nicole Hodgson, Keith Bradby and Louise Duxbury) WA Landcare Network Inc., Albany, WA.

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, 2018.  Western Australian Natural Resource Management Framework 2018.

Young, Virginia 2019.  Climate Change and Forests.  Unpublished Paper.