Australia is committed to driving climate action in the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors. At the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP30 in Belem, we showcased Australian agriculture, fisheries and forestry across two weeks.
COP30 was a valuable opportunity to share our experiences internationally, demonstrate our commitment to climate action, and develop partnerships to support Australian farmers. Sustainable, climate-smart practices are central to Australian agriculture and key to the sector’s future success.
As there is no one-size-fits-all approach to sustainable agriculture, COP30 was an opportunity to encourage practices that are tailored to the ecological, cultural and economic conditions of each country.
At COP30, Australia welcomed Brazil’s flagship agriculture initiative Resilient Agriculture Investment for net Zero land degradation, which aims to accelerate investments for agricultural land restoration. It will map out degraded landscapes, identify investable restoration projects, highlight the best means to invest and foster collaboration and knowledge sharing within the financial ecosystem.
We showcased Australian examples of climate-smart innovation in the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors widely at COP30 – in Brazil’s Agrizone, the Australia pavilion, the Pacific’s Moana Pavilion and beyond.
DAFF events
Sustainable Food Systems in a Changing Climate
International technical experts and policy makers discussed the impact of climate change on food security and sustainable food systems from a regional perspective.
Speakers
Nick Blong, First Assistant Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Dr Michael Robertson, Director-Agriculture and Food Research Unit, CSIRO
Sophie Beecher, Director General of the Sustainable Development Policy Directorate, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Dr Aggrey Agumya, Executive Director and Head of Mission, Forum of Agricultural Research in Africa
Rodrigo Lopes de Almeida, Secretariat of Trade and International Affairs, at the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply
Managing and preserving soil health: key to a climate smart agriculture industry
This event brought together diverse global perspectives to discuss action and investment to support soil health in the context of national priority actions and emerging global threats such as climate change and food security.
Speakers
Nick Blong, First Assistant Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Dr Michael Robertson, Director-Agriculture and Food Research Unit, CSIRO
Sophie Beecher, Director General of the Sustainable Development Policy Directorate, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Dr Paula Packer, Chief-General of Embrapa Environment, Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa)
You’re Barking Up the Right Tree - Sustainable Construction and Forest Policy in Action
Panellists explored the pivotal role of timber in transforming the construction sector to meet climate goals, and the policy levers that can support. Watch it here.
Speakers
Nick Blong, FAS Sustainability, Climate and Strategy, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Amy Duchelle, Senior Forestry Officer, FAO
Rachel Millar, Environmental Manager, Forest Owners Association of New Zealand.
Harry Mills, Campaign Manager, Built by Nature
Michael Taylor, Farmer, Taylors Run
Francisco Ruiz-Tagle, Chief Executive Officer, CMPC
Coordinated Action for a Sustainable Future: Exploring Rio Convention Synergies
This panel explored the synergies and linkages between the three Rio conventions as they relate to issues such as sustainable agriculture, food systems and integrated land use planning, identifying ways to leverage coordinated policies, and on-the-ground interventions for holistic sustainable development outcomes. Watch it here.
Speakers
Christina Munzer, Director, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Jorge Caetano Junior, Coordinator-General for Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil
Maya Rajasekharan, Managing Director, Alliance of Biodiversity International and CIAT
Cristian Barrazueta, Climate and Biodiversity Officer, World Rural Forum
Michael Taylor, Farmer, Taylors Run
Fish and Sips 2.0
Oceans play a vital role in culture and way of life in the Pacific region, supporting valuable marine industries including commercial and recreational fishing, aquaculture, renewable energy, shipping and more. Technical experts from around the world shared work underway on sustainable and climate smart fisheries.
Speakers
Nick Blong, First Assistant Secretary, Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Dr Pio Manoa, Deputy Director General, Forum Fisheries Agency
Dr Michelle Tigchelaar, Senior Scientist, WorldFish
Pearl Mitchell, Deakin University PhD candidate, 2025 ATSE Scholar, Global Voices Fellow
Harnessing Advanced Weather Modelling for Climate-Resilient Agriculture
Opening with a presentation on My Climate View, panellists discussed weather and climate modelling as a tool to support agriculture’s ability to adapt to climate change. Watch it here.
Speakers
Nick Blong, FAS, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Dr Michael Robertson, Director-Agriculture and Food Research Unit, CSIRO
Alan Petersen, Chairman, Teitei Taveuni
Maggie Jarret, Sustainability Manager, See Saw Wines
Videos
These videos produced for COP30 detail how different sectors are responding to a changing climate. Each video highlights the diversity of Australia’s agricultural landscape and the wide range of innovative research and development activities undertaken across the agriculture sector.
