Supporting climate-friendly farming and resilient landscapes
Cumbria’s farming heritage, extensive uplands and rich natural environment create a unique opportunity to balance food production, nature recovery and carbon storage.
Farming practices and land management can reduce greenhouse gas emissions while increasing the amount of carbon stored in soils, woodlands, peatlands and other natural habitats. Together, these actions are essential to achieving a net zero Cumbria by 2037 and also support a resilient future: enhancing wildlife and biodiversity, improving flood management and strengthening food systems.
Underpinned by data from Cumbria’s Carbon Baseline Report, the Farming and Other Land Use (FOLU) Sector Group created the FOLU Emissions Reduction Action Plan (ERAP); this continues as a forum for stakeholders to discuss land use emissions reduction activities, share good practice, and help inform the ongoing delivery of the ERAP in support of Cumbria’s net zero ambition for 2037.
The strength and scale of Cumbria’s agricultural and land use sector reflects the important role it can play in supporting solutions for emissions reduction, as one of the four priority areas, while also providing some of the county’s most important natural carbon sinks. Emissions come from livestock, fertilisers, farm energy use and degrading peatlands, while woodlands, wetlands and soils can help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The challenge for farmers is to consider low carbon farming options within a whole-system approach, rather than as standalone interventions. This is all while trying to maintain a viable business, meet the demands of their supply chains, navigate inconsistent government policy, and manage the risks that come with adopting new practices.
Alongside these pressures, climate change is already affecting farming and land management through increasingly frequent extreme weather events, including flooding, drought and changing seasonal conditions. There are significant costs involved when responding to these factors, and this is in an industry which is already reliant on subsidies for the survival of many working in this sector.
Successfully balancing these demands while reducing emissions, increasing carbon sequestration and maintaining a thriving rural economy is a key challenge.
Responding to emissions from farming and land use can:
Farming and other land use contributed a net figure of around 2 MtCO2e (18%) of Cumbria’s total greenhouse gas emissions in 2019.
The recommended target within The summary of greenhouse gases in Cumbria for Land Use Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) emissions is to realise a reduction in net emissions of 1.27 Mt CO2e by 2037 (on average an additional 70,630 Mt CO2e per year) through a combination of reduced land-based emissions and additional sequestration.
Identification of the best achievable decarbonisation pathway for emissions from agricultural soils, livestock and energy use is also needed and is one of the priorities for the sector group. The emissions within scope are those that are ‘within the farm gate’, so on farm operations – which include emissions associated with any input processes, but does not include emissions within the food chain once produce has left the farm.
This area includes all emissions from soil and grass management.
All emissions associated with farm supply chains.
This area of scope examines the emissions of forestry activities including agroforestry.
Promoting the natural sequestration potential. Including the planting and management of woodlands.
Including peatland restoration.
Including wetlands, nature conservation and emissions from land use supply chains.
Achieving net zero requires action across farming, forestry, peatlands and wider land management. The sector group’s suggested approach to tackling these emissions has been split across four strategic priorities, which you can explore below.
REDUCE
Peatland
Woodland
Enable
Looking for more detail?
You can see the full list of recommendations the Sector Group have put forward for businesses, local authorities, communities and individuals to help achieve each of these priorities in the Farming and other Land Use ERSAP below. See where you might be able to help!
The Emissions Reduction and Sequestration Pathway document sets out the strategic direction to reduce carbon emissions.
The Emissions Reduction and Sequestration Action Plan (ERSAP) document sets out detailed proposed actions for emissions reduction.
Farming and other Land Use
Success stories from across Cumbria showing how steps are being taken to reduce carbon emissions and increase sequestration from land use and agriculture.
The sector group brings together farmers, environmental organisations, land managers, public bodies and industry representatives to help shape Cumbria’s response to climate change.
The group works collaboratively to develop and monitor actions that support low carbon, nature-friendly land management while maintaining a thriving rural economy.
The Cumbria Peat Partnership through the Cumbria Wildlife Trust lead on peatland restoration in Cumbria. The Cumbria Peat Partnership have highlighted 3 areas we can help with with to try and scale up restoration activity:
On adoption of targets for carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane, refine the actions associated with these targets and associated delivery mechanisms if none currently exist.
Development of good case study examples to help farmers and land owners see through real examples, the opportunities for their own lands. Linking this to farm carbon audit data work to build the data for Cumbria around recommendations and interventions undertaken.
Includes providing support to the LDNPA bid to Landscape Connections for up to £8 million over the 10 years on an advice/support programme for farmers and also the imminent Farmer Collaboration Fund.
Sector group members meet frequently throughout the year, usually online. Meeting overviews will be shared below.
A focus of this meeting was on agricultural emissions reduction targets and how the farming sector can contribute to Cumbria’s net zero ambitions by 2037. Members reviewed proposed reduction trajectories for carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide emissions, which currently place the sector between a 1.5°C and 2°C reduction target. Discussion centred on the practical actions farmers would need to take to achieve these reductions, including renewable energy generation, carbon sequestration, and emissions reduction measures, some of which are already being implemented on farms. Attendees highlighted the importance of understanding the real-world implications for land use, biodiversity, farm viability and a just transition for farmers. Further work was agreed to clarify how the emissions modelling translates into on-farm actions and to strengthen links with organisations gathering sector-specific data.
The group also received an update on the Nature Net Gains (NNG) partnership, which is exploring the creation of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to support biodiversity net gain projects and nature finance opportunities across Cumbria. Megan Lindeman, Cumbria Nature Finance Strategic Lead at Westmorland & Furness Council, outlined how the proposed model could help landowners access biodiversity markets through a combination of brokerage services and habitat banking, generating income while supporting nature recovery.
Discussion covered landowner appetite, funding models, governance arrangements, legal responsibilities and the challenges created by limited specialist advice and expertise within the local market. Although the business plan is still being developed, there was strong interest in the potential for the partnership to create a locally focused and financially sustainable nature finance mechanism.
Finally, updates were provided on the Landscape Connections bid and wider work within the Lake District National Park. The Landscape Connections project aims to deliver coordinated farm advice and environmental improvements across the park, with an initial funding application due later in the year. Members also heard about the Defra-commissioned Hilary Cottam report on the future of upland farming and communities, changes to the Lake District’s Farming, Forestry, Nature and Climate Network, and a Soil Health Challenge research proposal with Edinburgh University that will explore soil health, including carbon capture.
Henry Russell spoke to the group about a project taking place in nearby Lancashire, exploring how the ‘10 Years for Agroecology’ model for maximum sustainable food production could work at a local level. This helps improve understanding of the dynamics of self-sustaining food systems. Further funding is being explored to extend this work, and the group is awaiting a follow-up, but the report is available to read.
Microsoft Word – Local-level Agroecology Full Report – Final
A number of members went along to the Britain Talks Farming: How people think and feel about farming webinar by Climate Outreach (you can watch it here Videos & podcasts – Climate Outreach
This was a useful webinar for understanding the views and attitudes of farmers, farming representative organisations, and the general public towards climate and nature in relation to farming. Misconceptions and assumptions about what people know, understand, and think can become real barriers to action, so it was valuable to hear the reality.
James Robinson from the Nature Friendly Farming Network, and a local farmer from Kendal, joined the group to discuss what could be learned from the farmers in the network and from his family’s own experience. This helped us think about how to frame messaging around environmentally sustainable farming practices for Cumbrian farmers who may not yet have explored all the available opportunities and options. James shared some clear messages: it’s not all or nothing, it’s not all about yield, and it is possible to make a living and have a life. You can also read James’s blog.
Ben Goad, Director of Ecoprospects – independent advisers on soil health and nutrient management – joined a discussion with sector members to share insight into why and how people engage with soil testing, how that translates into action, why some farms still do not do it, and what more could be done. This provided useful food for thought on how we can better support farmers to take this forward.
Most recently the group have had presentations from:
Edinburgh University about a new soil health project taking place in the Lake District National Park. The project will model the potential impacts of changes in soil health and hydrological cycles on the long-term sustainability of productive landscapes:
Stakeholder workshops will be held in the summer to develop this project further.
The Lake District National Park Authority also shared a review of Farming in Protected Landscapes (FIPL) farm carbon audits. Members gave a useful insight into what can be learned from FIPL-funded carbon audits and how future audits might make the most of the data collected. A high-level summary covered both the limitations of the data and emissions across different livestock farming enterprises. The key question for the group is what a future FIPL approach should look like – what, why, and how.
Cumbria Peat Partnership – Cumbrias Peatland Restoration: Peatland restoration is a key strategic priority in the emission reduction action plan, and we asked the Cumbria Peat Partnership whether there was anything we could do to help them scale up activity while ZCC resource remains available through to March 2027. They identified three key areas, which are reflected in the following priorities.
Priorities:
1 – Peatlands – The Cumbria Peat Partnership, led by Cumbria Wildlife Trust, coordinates peatland restoration in Cumbria. It has identified three areas where the sector group and its wider network could support this work over the next 10 months in order to scale up restoration activity:
2 – Emissions and actions for agricultural emissions – Once targets for carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane have been adopted, refine the actions associated with these targets and identify delivery mechanisms where none currently exist.
3 – Encourage more farmers to improve soil health – Understanding the potential of our soils is key to supporting both emission reduction and sequestration across the three strategic priorities. Develop strong case-study examples to support this, such as James’s blog, the Carbon Calling project, and relevant FIPL stories where these also support business growth. Link this to farm carbon-audit data work and related actions so that future audits can be better targeted and information can be gathered on recommendations and interventions that have been carried out.
4 – Explore and capitalise on funding that supports improved farmer connectivity, learning, and engagement. This includes supporting the LDNPA bid to Landscape Connections for up to £8 million over 10 years for an advice and support programme for farmers, as well as the imminent Farmer Collaboration Fund.
If you feel you’d have something to contribute to a sector group meeting, get in touch to request an invite.
The Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership is driving change through the work of its four Sector Groups, which focus on the main sources of emissions in Cumbria.
To get involved and find out more about the Partnership, please contact Partnership Manager, Michael Robinson.
