This document summarizes a workshop on the interface between climate change mitigation and adaptation in primary industries. It provides background on potential global and local conflicts and synergies. Examples of conflicts include building soil carbon competing with productive soils, and bioenergy feedstocks competing with food production. Examples of synergies include reducing emissions improving efficiency, and adaptation practices like minimum tillage increasing carbon storage. The workshop aims to identify key conflicts and synergies to maximize co-benefits between mitigation and adaptation strategies.

1. NCCARF
Interface between
mitigation and adaptation
in primary industries
Richard Eckard, Snow
Barlow, Peter Grace, Peter
Hayman, Richard Harper

2. Workshop Program
• Presentations to set the scene
– Richard Harper, Murdoch University
– Bram Govaerts , CIMMYT
– Pat Wall, CIMMYT
• Facilitated group discussions
– List key conflicts, synergies and challenges
– Developing solutions or strategies
– Report back
• Synthesis by the PIARN team

3. Background
• At a global scale
– Smith and Olesen (2010) suggest synergies
between mitigation and adaptation
• At a local and regional scale
– Significant conflicts need to be addressed
• Climate change itself could lead to increased
– Enteric methane
– Nitrous oxide
– Soil carbon respiration
Smith & Olesen 2010; Eckard et al. 2010

4. Examples of Global Synergies
• Reducing emissions
– Less enteric CH4 = improved C and energy efficiency
• Improved feed conversion efficiency
– Less N2O = improved N use efficiency
• Improved water and air quality
• Reducing input costs
• Building soil carbon
– Improve productivity
– Reduce soil erosion
– Conserving soil moisture
Smith & Olesen 2010

5. Examples of Global Conflicts
• Building soil carbon
– Productive soils need rapid soil C ‘turnover’
– Long term sequestration >100 yr C ‘turnover’
– Requires nutrients esp N
– Warmer future climates -> higher soil C and N loss
• Feedstocks for bio-energy
– Competes with land for food
– Increased N2O and C loss
– Reduces residue return to soil
Smith & Olesen 2010, Eckard & Cullen 2011

6. Regional and local conflicts
Australian examples
• Shift from grazing to cropping in SW Victoria
– Adaptation to lower rainfall
– Large losses of soil C and organic N as N2O
• Dairy pastures in SE Australia
– Earlier onset of summer plus warmer winter
– More N fertiliser in warmer winter to offset loss of
early summer growth
– More N2O loss

7. Regional and local conflicts
Australian examples
• Shift from C3 to C4 grasses with warming
– More resilient pasture systems
– Lower forage quality thus increased methane
• Shift to annual based systems
– To manage climate uncertainty
– More soil C and N2O loss?

8. Regional and local synergies
Australian examples
• Carbon offset income
– Lower intensity farming becomes more profitable
• Adaptation to lower or more variable rainfall
– More conservative stocking rates
– More targeted N fertiliser inputs
– Shift to more resilient crop and pasture species
• Native grasses -> Deeper rooted & less N –> less leaching –> less N2O
• Adaptation to heat stress
– Plant more trees for shade and shelter
– More carbon sequestration in landscape
• Minimum tillage
– Increased soil carbon, reduced N2O
– Better water holding capacity

9. Summary
• Short-term adaptation to mitigation policies
can create conflicts with long-term climate
adaptation
– BUT
• Synergies exist between adaptation and
mitigation
• Identify the conflicts and synergies
– Maximise synergies
– Minimise the conflicts
– The focus of this workshop