farmers in this time of unprecedented climate change? It has been argued that finding
a single solution to climate change or the water-energy nexus is too difficult because
it is impossible to get multiple parties with diverging interests to reach a consensus.
This has been demonstrated through a lack of a joined-up and adoption of a seamless
regulatory approach across Australia and even between neighbouring States with
shared water basins. Many of the government-led programmes have been clunky,
leading to unintended consequences. The authors of this chapter believe that consensus is essential and that more nimble approaches are needed which focus on
smaller-scale independent projects with attainable and measurable objectives. It is
essential that they provide value (economic, social, environmental) to every farm.
Whilst small-scale projects with achievable objectives may not solve the entirety of
the wicked problem outlined in this chapter, they do achieve tangible positive
outcomes on farm, aligned with longer-term goals. Such an approach may also
foster greater adaptation and innovation approaches which can be readily communicated through the farming community. The issue for governments at all levels is
how can such small-scale and on-farm benefits add up to a larger-scale sustainable
(agricultural) solution and how does this demonstrate their achievement to national
and international obligations such as the Paris Agreement.
References
ABARES. (2014, February). Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and
Sciences. Australian agricultural productivity growth: Past reforms and future opportunities.
Report authors Emily Gray, Max Oss-Emer, Yu Sheng (Research Report 14.2).
ABARES. (2015, October). Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and
Sciences. A manual for measuring total factor productivity in Australian agriculture. Report
authors Yu Sheng and Tom Jackson. (Technical Report 15.2).
ABS. (2012a, December). Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian farming and farmers. 4102.0 –
Australian Social Trends.
ABS. (2012b). Australian Bureau of Statistics. 1301.0 – Year book Australia.
ABS. (2017). Australian Bureau of Statistics (Catalogue No. 4618.0). Water use on Australian
farms 2015–16. Released 7 July 2017.
ABS. (2018a). Australian Bureau of Statistics (Catalogue No. 4627.0). Land management and
farming in Australia 2016–17.
ABS. (2018b). Australian Bureau of Statistics (Catalogue No. 7503.0). Value of agricultural
commodities produced, Australia 2016–17.
ACCC. (2016). Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Water trading rules – Advice
on amendments. Available: https://www.mdba.gov.au/sites/default/files/pubs/ACCC-adviceamendments-BP-water-trading-rules.pdf. Accessed 27 July 2018.
ACCC. (2017). Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Retail electricity pricing
inquiry (Preliminary report). Available: https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Retail%20Elec
tricity%20Inquiry%20-%20Preliminary%20report%20-%2013%20November%202017.pdf.
Accessed 27 July 2018.
ACCC. (2018). Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Restoring electricity affordability and Australia’s competitive advantage. Available: https://www.accc.gov.au/regulatedinfrastructure/energy/electricity-supply-prices-inquiry. Accessed 20 July 2018.
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S. Schulte et al.
a single solution to climate change or the water-energy nexus is too difficult because
it is impossible to get multiple parties with diverging interests to reach a consensus.
This has been demonstrated through a lack of a joined-up and adoption of a seamless
regulatory approach across Australia and even between neighbouring States with
shared water basins. Many of the government-led programmes have been clunky,
leading to unintended consequences. The authors of this chapter believe that consensus is essential and that more nimble approaches are needed which focus on
smaller-scale independent projects with attainable and measurable objectives. It is
essential that they provide value (economic, social, environmental) to every farm.
Whilst small-scale projects with achievable objectives may not solve the entirety of
the wicked problem outlined in this chapter, they do achieve tangible positive
outcomes on farm, aligned with longer-term goals. Such an approach may also
foster greater adaptation and innovation approaches which can be readily communicated through the farming community. The issue for governments at all levels is
how can such small-scale and on-farm benefits add up to a larger-scale sustainable
(agricultural) solution and how does this demonstrate their achievement to national
and international obligations such as the Paris Agreement.
References
ABARES. (2014, February). Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and
Sciences. Australian agricultural productivity growth: Past reforms and future opportunities.
Report authors Emily Gray, Max Oss-Emer, Yu Sheng (Research Report 14.2).
ABARES. (2015, October). Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and
Sciences. A manual for measuring total factor productivity in Australian agriculture. Report
authors Yu Sheng and Tom Jackson. (Technical Report 15.2).
ABS. (2012a, December). Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian farming and farmers. 4102.0 –
Australian Social Trends.
ABS. (2012b). Australian Bureau of Statistics. 1301.0 – Year book Australia.
ABS. (2017). Australian Bureau of Statistics (Catalogue No. 4618.0). Water use on Australian
farms 2015–16. Released 7 July 2017.
ABS. (2018a). Australian Bureau of Statistics (Catalogue No. 4627.0). Land management and
farming in Australia 2016–17.
ABS. (2018b). Australian Bureau of Statistics (Catalogue No. 7503.0). Value of agricultural
commodities produced, Australia 2016–17.
ACCC. (2016). Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Water trading rules – Advice
on amendments. Available: https://www.mdba.gov.au/sites/default/files/pubs/ACCC-adviceamendments-BP-water-trading-rules.pdf. Accessed 27 July 2018.
ACCC. (2017). Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Retail electricity pricing
inquiry (Preliminary report). Available: https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Retail%20Elec
tricity%20Inquiry%20-%20Preliminary%20report%20-%2013%20November%202017.pdf.
Accessed 27 July 2018.
ACCC. (2018). Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Restoring electricity affordability and Australia’s competitive advantage. Available: https://www.accc.gov.au/regulatedinfrastructure/energy/electricity-supply-prices-inquiry. Accessed 20 July 2018.
110
S. Schulte et al.