Horticulture Across-Industry Climate/Carbon Forum

1. Horticulture Across-Industry Climate/Carbon Forum The Grace Hotel, SYDNEY Wednesday 11th March 2009

2. AGENDA Objective: Increase understanding and identify options for future investment in climate and carbon management across horticulture Timing: • 1:00pm – Welcome and introductions (Alison) • 1:10pm – CC policylandscape & CCRSPI (Owen) • 2:00pm – MCVP (Colin) • 2:30pm – Horticulture CC Action Plan (Peter) • 3:00pm – Current and proposed CC projects (Alison) • 3:10pm – BREAK • 3:30pm – Communication on CC (Chris/Alison) • 4:00pm – DISCUSSION • 5:00pm – CLOSE

3. WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS Presenters: • Owen Cameron – CCRSPI Program Manager, Land & Water Australia (LWA) • Colin Creighton – Managing Climate Variability Program Manager, LWA • Peter Deuter – Senior Principle Horticulturalist, Dept of Primary Industries & Fisheries • Chris Rowley – Health Initiative Coordinator (Go for 2&5 Program) External Guests: • Jackie Luethi – CCRSPI Program Officer, LWA • David Putland – Climate Change Project Officer, Growcom Apology – Charles McElhone, NFF

4. CURRENT & PROPOSED CLIMATE CHANGE RESEARCH PROJECTS

5. OVERVIEW OF HORT CC RESEARCH HAL Environment Portfolio – start of climate change activity • Vegetables scoping study (P Deuter - VG05051) • CC Recommendations Paper to IACs in DEC 2006 • Across-industry support for national project into responding to CC (P Deuter - AH06019) • Co-funded by MCVP • LOP $80,000 • Increasing interest in climate projects within past 24 months • 2007/08 - ~2% new investment • 2008/09 - ~21% new investment… Communication on Climate Change – IMC session, Sydney 11th March 2008

6. CURRENT PROJECTS 2008/09 climate change projects • Approx 10 projects in 2008/09 (21%): • Horticulture component of CCRSPI (AH) • Elevator statement (AH) • Understanding and identifying the threats and opportunities posed by climate change (AH, BA) • Energy efficiency in glasshouse horticulture • Quantifying environmental credentials (AV, MU, TU) • Carbon discussion papers and workshop (VG) • Carbon footprinting (VG [Houston’s (VC) and now levy], NT, CF) • VALUE: VC & LEVY LOP ~$1 million (VG $400k) Communication on Climate Change – IMC session, Sydney 11th March 2008

7. PROPOSED PROJECTS Industry Call for 2009/10 projects • 13new project proposals submitted (28%): • Horticulture component of CCRSPI (HAL Corp) • Desktop study into impacts of climate change and industries response (AP, AV, CY) • Unpacking emissions trading (AP, AV) • Soil carbon balance (vegetables) • Understanding the carbon, climate and energy benefits of urban trees (NY) • Carbon footprinting (TU, VG) and sequestration (TU) • Emissions management (protected cropping), including ‘Practical solutions to the fertiliser cost shock’ (VG) • VALUE: VC & LEVY LOP ~$2.5 million Communication on Climate Change – IMC session, Sydney 11th March 2008

8. COMUNICATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

9. Current situation • Interrelated issues – availability of water can be impacted on by climate change and variability • Media interest increasing • Debate about environmental flows • Government activity • Worse case scenarios • Increased competition for resources… = INFORMATION OVERLOAD! CLIMATE WATER ENVIRONMENT Communication on Climate Change – IMC session, Sydney 11th March 2008

10. Current communication • There is a lot of interest and activity in this area – at many different scales resulting in: • Messages being diluted • Increasing confusion about who is doing what • Overlap in investment and resources • Inconsistent terminology • There is an urgent need for: • relevant, tailored information for horticultural growers • coordination of communication to reduce confusion and ensure understanding of the threats, opportunities and future activities Communication on Climate Change – IMC session, Sydney 11th March 2008

11. Response 2008/09 Activities: • External Communication - PROMOTION: • IMC acknowledged the need for promotion of the horticulture industry’s environmental credentials to consumers • Environment Communication Plan (AH07022) • DRAFT ‘elevator statement’ of horticulture’s carbon footprint developed and submitted to IMC for comment • DRAFT Consumer fact sheet that clarifies horticulture’s contribution and impacts from climate change developed and available for comment now Communication on Climate Change – IMC session, Sydney 11th March 2008

12. Response 2008/09 Activities: • Internal Communication - AWARENESS: • There is an urgent need to improve industry understanding of climate change/variability issues and responses (Horticulture CC Action Plan Strategy 3 and Growcom CC Strategy Priority) • “What does CC mean to me and my business?” • IAC/industry conference presentations (AT) • DRAFT fact sheets (attachments to briefing papers) • Opportunity to update climate change website as part of overall HAL website update Communication on Climate Change – IMC session, Sydney 11th March 2008

13. Communication options/opportunities… Some highlighted options : • Consumer fact sheet • Horticulture specific fact sheets • Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme • Climate change impacts • Decision support tools • Updated website content focused on both consumers & other stakeholders (external) and industry at all levels (internal) • Industry workshops • Peak industry body briefings Communication on Climate Change – IMC session, Sydney 11th March 2008

14. THIS SESSION… • Agree on urgent communication priorities to answer the questions already being asked by industry, such as: • What direct impact will climate change have on my business? • What can I do to prepare for climate change impacts? And when? • What incentives and options are available? • What is HAL/the PIB doing in response to the issue of climate change/variability? • CHRIS ROWLEY TO FACILITATE Communication on Climate Change – IMC session, Sydney 11th March 2008