In Scotland, the demand for carbon audits by farmers and crofters in the first six months of this year has exceeded the number of completed audits undertaken over the whole of last year.
And, this year’s demand is not far behind the total demand for 2021, according to the Scottish Government.
Between January and the third week of July this year, the government said, 484 applications were received. Last year, the total amount received was 502.
This demand has been increasing for the past few years. In 2018, four years ago, just 99 applications for carbon audits were received.
“The high demand for carbon audits highlights the key role Scotland’s farmers and crofters are playing in delivering priority climate change commitments and the just transition to our zero carbon targets,” said Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon.
“They really are engaging willingly with our shared ambitions here and I thank them for doing so. This shows what can be achieved with the right support.
“We want Scotland to become a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture and carbon audits will continue to be an important part of that journey and I would urge more in the agri sector to engage with the process and play their part in the shift to sustainable, low carbon farming.”
In the future, carbon audits will be delivered solely through the National Test Programme, while a one-on-one advice service will continue to be available through the Farm Advisory Service.
“I would also encourage farmers, crofters and land managers to take advantage of the specialist advice available from the Farming Advisory Service to help them provide the high-quality food and drink that Scotland is renowned for in a sustainable way,” added Gougeon.
Carbon audits provide key information to assist farmers and crofters improve on their efficiency and climate change resilience.
