MSP calls for Holyrood support for industry’s ‘positive role’

While farming – and livestock production in particular – continues to find itself in the firing line in the global warming debate, a motion set to be aired in the Scottish Parliament will highlight the positive role which the industry plays in mitigating climate change.

Ayrshire MSP Maurice Golden, who put the Hollyrood motion forward, said that much of the narrative surrounding the agriculture industry in relation to tackling climate change had been “grossly unfair” and needed to be challenged.

He said that against the backdrop of such criticism it was important that the contribution which farmers had already made towards reducing emissions should be recognised – and that support should be made available to encourage this to continue in the future:

“Like they have done in the past, our farmers are rising to the challenge of reducing emissions, already reducing them by almost 30 per cent in the last three decades,” said the Conservative MSP who is his party’s shadow environment, climate change and land reform secretary.

With the motion to be debated on 20 February, he added: “We must support our farmers in their efforts to take new measures to tackle climate change.”