In 2017, Australia was the world’s third largest exporter of red meat. This makes the red meat sector an important part of the country’s economy- contributing around $18.4 billion in GDP in 2016-2017, according to Meat and Livestock Australia. However, with all that meat production comes greenhouse gas emissions. In a move to greatly reduce the carbon emissions of the production of red meat, the Australian government is working with Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) to first identify and establish the causes or sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and then invest in a research aimed at developing new ways to reduce these emissions as well as increasing productivity gains in the red meat sector.
This project is of great significance as the red meat sector is responsible for as much as 13% of Australia’s total emissions (Commonwealth of Australia 2017). Australia’s move in the red meat sector isn’t just to reduce emissions but to become completely carbon neutral by 2030 (the first country to do so) through advancements in this research project.
This project is both beneficial to the environment and Australia’s government, and with progress, other governments would soon follow suit in a global reduction and soon elimination of carbon emissions of red meat production.

By Feyisayo Akinola

References:
https://research.csiro.au/foodglobalsecurity/our-research-2/pastures/carbon-neutral-red-meat/
https://www.mla.com.au/about-mla/the-red-meat-industry/#