AUSTRALIAN Wool Innovation has received federal funding to develop an environmental and greenhouse gas insetting framework for wool growers, enabling carbon emission reductions within the textile supply chain.
The wool research, development and marketing body has welcomed a $4 million grant from the Federal Government to kickstart its Australian Wool Industry Insetting Program as part of the recently unveiled Woolmark+ roadmap.
AWI said the program will connect fashion and textile brands with Australian wool growers looking to reduce carbon emissions through nature-based solutions, with AWI and its subsidiary, Woolmark, spearheading the industry’s move towards nature positive outcomes.
What is insetting?
AWI said Insetting refers to initiatives that occur within a company’s value chain to reduce the environmental footprint directly related to the company’s business activities. To date, insetting has been used to incentivise Scope 3 GHG emissions reductions and removals however, insetting could be used as a mechanism to reduce a company’s impact on nature more broadly, AWI said.
The Woolmark+ Insetting Program connects brands with Scope 3 emission reduction targets to wool growers. Woolgrowers gain new revenue streams while helping their value chain cut Scope 3 emissions, AWI said.
AWI said through insetting, it is seeking to bridge the gap between supply and demand for value chain emissions reductions through reduction and removal activities on wool farms, ultimately accelerating nature-positive action.
The AWI grant is part of a $9 million allocation under the government’s Climate-Smart Agriculture Program to enable farmers to use climate-smart practices.
Charles Sturt University has also gained funding for a project about ‘Developing practices for profitable, sustainable sheep production in a variable climate – NSW and Victoria.’
Minister for Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry Julie Collins said sustainability is a key focus for the Albanese Labor Government, “as we find ways for the agriculture sector to embrace climate-smart farming without compromising on productivity.”
“There is no one way to approach sustainability in agriculture, especially in a country with diverse landscapes and ecosystems like Australia.
“As a result, the way we tackle climate change in the sector needs to be flexible and adaptable for agribusinesses,” she said.
“Australian produce has a global reputation for being high quality and sustainable, and initiatives like this spur on even more take-up of practices that will cement this reputation among our trading partners and international consumers.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the outcome of these projects, including the strengthened engagement with Indigenous people, and how this might be replicated across the sector.”
AWI said the insetting project’s strategic partnership with global climate change investment and advisory firm Pollination, and Landcare Australia, creates a comprehensive approach to implement, report, and scale insetting to enable wool growers to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through nature-based solutions on farm.
Connecting brands with wool growers is a key element
A key element will be the creation of a mechanism to facilitate the connection between global fashion and textile brands and wool growers with GHG emission reductions on Australian wool-growing properties, that in turn can reduce the brand’s scope 3 emissions within the value chain, AWI said.
AWI chief executive officer John Roberts said the company wanted to offer wool growers an option and brands a solution that allows emissions reductions to remain within the textile supply chain.
“Brands are increasingly seeking ways to address their scope 3 emissions, but scaling these efforts has been a challenge.
“Insetting presents an exciting opportunity for brands to meet their emissions targets in a way that aligns with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) while simultaneously supporting Australian wool growers,” he said.
“We’re grateful to the Australian government for their support of this game-changing initiative.”
AWI said the project aimed to break down significant barriers wool growers face when engaging in environmental markets and reducing GHG emissions, including the lack of guidance on best practices, upfront capital, and market engagement. By addressing these challenges, this initiative will provide woolgrowers with some of the tools needed to manage more than 65 million hectares of Australian land more sustainably, setting the stage for impactful emissions reductions across the wool value chain.
Pollination director Lara Phillips said by supporting nature-based solutions such as environmental plantings and best-practice flock management, the project will lay the foundation for scalable, high-integrity emissions reductions that deliver environmental and economic benefits for Australian wool growers.
Landcare Australia CEO Dr Shane Norrish said supporting wool growers to understand their opportunities in emerging environmental markets as well as providing on-ground implementation support for environmental plantings will help reduce emissions while increasing biodiversity within the wool value chain.
AWI is inviting Australian wool growers, along with global fashion and textile brands, to collaborate in achieving GHG reductions.
Interested woolgrowers are invited to contact us at [email protected] to get involved or for more information.
For more information on these projects and the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program, click here.
This is not rocket science.
The sheep are available to achieve everything talked about.
They are plain bodied, free of wrinkle with a thin loose pliable skin. They produce fast growing, high quality wool.
These sheep have been bred to have increased muscle and fat reserves, and have ability to handle tough seasons while also rearing large numbers of quality lambs.
The work has been done and many producers are achieving great results. I suggest to AWI to get out and find these producers, and spread the word about the modern Merino.
Such an approach would see the industry move forward and flourish again.