AUSTRALIAN farmers have welcomed the Federal Government’s swift response and clarification that Australia has not endorsed the 2026 Global Methane Pledge Ministerial Declaration released on the sidelines of the COP31 United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Türkiye this week – and confirmation that there are no discussions about doing so.
Importantly for Australian agriculture, the Government has also reaffirmed that Australia’s participation in the broader Global Methane Pledge is voluntary and non-binding and does not impose a domestic methane target or obligations on Australian farmers.
“This is an important clarification and provides welcome certainty for Australian farmers,” National Farmers Federation chief executive Michael Guerin said.
“We thank the Government for responding quickly to the concerns raised by the NFF and providing that assurance,” he said.
Earlier today, NFF issued a statement urging the Federal Government to rule out endorsing the new 2026 Global Methane Pledge Ministerial Declaration.
It said Australian farmers did not need another international declaration telling them to act on methane, because they are already doing it.
“Australian agriculture is a global leader in developing and adopting practical solutions, from better genetics and low-methane pastures to feed additives and new technologies that reduce emissions while maintaining productivity,” NFF said in a statement.
“The Government gave farmers clear assurances when Australia joined the Global Methane Pledge in 2022: no livestock methane tax, no new regulation and no requirement to reduce agricultural production or livestock numbers. Those commitments must stand,” the farm sector’s peak lobby group said.
While the new declaration contained language recognising productivity, food security and livelihoods, it also called for national commitments to be translated into policies, regulations and investment plans.
“That creates unnecessary risk for Australian agriculture,” the NFF said.
“We know how quickly international commitments can be seized upon by anti-farming activists, stripped of context and repackaged into campaigns aimed at shutting down livestock production.
“Farmers are sick of being targeted by activists peddling dubious claims while ignoring the enormous investment producers are making in practical, science-based solutions.”
At a time of global uncertainty, governments should be utterly focused on food security, productivity and keeping food affordable, it suggested.
“Let farmers get on with implementing the technology and innovation that actually reduces emissions. Australia should back its farmers and food security, and not endorse this declaration.
Source: NFF