Communicating Climate & Carbon information

Don’t forget the “E” …..

Graeme AndersonClimate Extension SpecialistDPI Farm Services Victoria

Climate change is…….

“Climate variability on performance enhancing drugs”

Climate change is…….

“.. not normal climate variability as we have known it……….

…….it is living in an era when the words ‘record breaking’ and ‘unprecedented’ appear more often than we would like”

Climate change is…….

“Hard for us to imagine ………….

we’ll have to see it to believe it,

and even then we’ll only get to see it in instalments….”

Climate change …….

“Will only ever appear to us as the season, the weather we’re having and the

outlook for the coming months……..”

Climate change is……..

Not about the average……..

“….if your head’s in the freezer

and your bum’s in the oven…

….on average you should be okay!”

A little analogy………..

“Weather is the boxer, it throws the punches that farmers have to either duck, avoid or take a hit…

Climate is the trainer……..

Climate Change is bringing new strength, skills & techniques for both boxer & trainer ….

...so beware the stronger punches and new left/right combinations…….”

Don’t forget the “E” ……..

Extension

Engagement

Education

Empowerment

This is about people……

Austrian philosopher Ivan Illich

“…………tell a new and powerful tale,…. one so persuasive that it sweeps away the old myths and becomes the preferred story, one so inclusive that it gathers all the bits of our past and our present into a coherent whole, one that even shines some light into our future so that we can take the next step……………..”

“If you want to change a society,

then you have to tell an alternative story”

DPI – Farm Services Victoria • Climate extension & capability services across grains, dairy, meat & wool,

horticulture networks

• Survey of 1500 farmers on climate/emissions

• Local “Upscaling” sessions with farmers

• Seasonal risk newsletters “The Break”,“Climate-ready Horticulture” and “Milking the Weather”

• Positive & practical action case studies – farmers

• Carbon Toolkits in Agriculture Network & news

• 480 sessions on climate, seasonal risk, emissions, policy (12,000 people) delivered over last 2.5 years

• Climate risk web - www.dpi.vic.gov.au/climaterisk

We all change practices/behaviour when:

1. ATTITUDE - I want to! It makes sense to change for some benefit I value

2. PROVEN TECHNOLOGY -It Works! The technology/practice is known & proven to work (not a risky experiment)

3. CAPACITY – I can! I have capacity to do it! (time, labour, finances, equipment, services/providers to make it happen and maintain it)

“Getting 2 out of 3 of these isn’t enough!”

Farmers are seeking information that is:

•Accessible & timely (for decision making today)•Relevant to their location and industry•In language they can understand – create your own dialogue and explains for their perspective•From sources whom they trust•On the money for the target audience (know how best to frame your story)•In the right context - for action and “getting on with it”

Framing action on carbon and emissions “The 5 action areas”:

1. Energy story (efficiency, production, farm & supply chain)

2. Farm forests (vegetation, C-sink, farm planning, landcare)

3. Soil carbon (soil health, C-sink, organic matter, biota, whc)

4. Nitrogen efficiency (production, leakage, water quality etc)

5. Methane (animal productivity, feed, genetics etc)

(Each of these is has ready gains…)

Framing action on adaptation (beware that word) and preparing for the future:

1. Explaining climate variability, what’s normal, what’s not and preparing for what might be next – establishing a mindset for our shifting climate

2. Multiple drivers of change & increasing volatility – planning for uncertainty and taking the opportunities

3. Big future for agriculture – but not for everyone……

4. The big 5 questions…..a framework for bigger decisions & mapping out the pathways for farming families

Key climate influencers

for Victoria’s rainfall:

• ENSO – Pacific Ocean

moisture source

• IOD – Indian Ocean

moisture source

• SAM – the fronts….

• STR – the highs…..Key drivers of our seasonal

variability in Victoria – always

have been and always will be!

(BOM, CSIRO reports etc)

IOD

STR

ENSO

SAM

Climate Dogs-Animationswww.dpi.vic.gov.au/climaterisk

(ENSO, INDY, SAM, RIDGY)

Site also has seasonal climate newsletters, carbon toolkits,

case studies of farmers taking action etc

graeme.anderson@dpi.vic.gov.au

SamRidgy

Extra slides…………….

• From DPI survey of 1500 farmers• Undertaken November 2009

  % rated 4 or 5 (Agree)

% rated 1 or 2 (Disagree)

The rainfall and runoff on my farm has reduced in the last 10 years 88.10% 4.20%

The growing seasons in my district are changing  66.40% 12.10%

More high pressure systems are dominating Victoria’s weather patterns  61.80% 8.30%

The current extended dry period is part of natural climate variability  60.90% 12.70%

Average temperatures increasing by a few degrees concerns me  59.30% 21.20%

Climate change is a serious problem   56.10% 20.80%

Climate change is affecting my local climate  50.50% 22.20%

Rainfall systems and climate seem to be shifting southwards  48.90% 19.90%

Our average rainfall will return soon  39.50% 23.90%

Greenhouse gas emissions from human activity are responsible for global warming 

30.50% 36.80%

Climate/Emissions Survey – 1500 farmers

DPI survey of 1500 farmers 2009 – www.dpi.vic.gov.au/climaterisk

How would you describe your farm’s yearly greenhouse gas emissions? Would you say your farm is…..

DPI survey of 1500 farmers – www.dpi.vic.gov.au/climaterisk

How would you describe the emissions of each of the following items on your farm?

  Emit  Neutral  Store  I don’t 

know Livestock and livestock waste (n=1247)  67.8% 18.5% 3.3% 10.4% Energy usage on farm (n=1434)  66.4% 21.7% 2.9% 9.0% Fertiliser use (n=1312)  35.1% 28.0% 9.1% 27.9% Crops and pastures (n=1383)  4.4% 21.5% 61.7% 12.4% Soils (n=1434)  2.6% 21.5% 54.5% 21.3% Farm forests and vegetation (n=1358)  1.2% 7.8% 84.4% 6.6%

DPI survey of 1500 farmers – www.dpi.vic.gov.au/climaterisk

Which of the following actions have you taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or store carbon on your farm?

DPI survey of 1500 farmers – www.dpi.vic.gov.au/climaterisk