Organic Federation Of Australia Chairman At Copenhagen

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2nd December 2009, 12:36pm - Views: 733





Email: chair@ofa.org.au













Andre Leu, Chairman, OFA

P.O Box 800, Mossman, Qld 4873  Ph:07 40987610  Mob:0428 459870 Email: chair@ofa.org.au  



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From the desk of: 

Andre Leu, Chairman

P.O. Box 800, Mossman, Qld 4873  

Ph: +61 7 40987610  Mob: 0428 459870 

MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Wednesday Dec 02, 2009


Organic Federation of Australia Chairman at Copenhagen

Organic Agriculture has the potential to sequester nearly all the Carbon Dioxide (CO2) that is

generated by human activities


Organic Federation of Australia, Chairman, Andre Leu, will be at Copenhagen as part of a delegation that will

include some of best scientists and researchers into organic systems.


‘Organic agriculture has the potential to sequester nearly all the carbon dioxide that is generated by human

activities. It has the ability to sequester 37 gigatonnes of the 38 gigatonnes CO2 produced every year.’ Andre

Stated


‘Most importantly organic agriculture can help reduce poverty by increasing yields for small holders in the

developing world and through extra income by paying farmers for the CO2 that they sequester. ‘


‘The International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM) has organised a series of events

at Copenhagen to promote the mitigation and adaption benefits of organic agriculture to the governments

and media of the world.’ stated Andre, who is a Vice President of IFOAM.


CO2 is the main greenhouse gas (GHG) that scientists believe is responsible for climate change. 

According to the latest technical report (AR 4 Synthesis Report)  of the United Nations Intergovernmental

Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC) ‘Its [CO2] annual emissions have grown between 1970 and 2004 by about

80%, from 21 to 38 gigatonnes (Gt), and represented 77% of total anthropogenic GHG emissions in 2004.’

Long term studies by the Rodale institute show that organic agriculture can sequester 7.4 tonnes CO2 per

Hectare per year. ’During the 1990s, results from the Compost Utilization Trial (CUT) at Rodale Institute ...a

10-year study ...show that the use of composted manure with crop rotations in organic systems can result in

carbon sequestration of up to 2,000 lbs/ac/year.[2,000 kgs/hectare/year] (LaSalle,T. and Hepperly, P. 2008)


Soil carbon is multiplied by 3.7 to get the amount of CO2 that is sequestered from the atmosphere. This

means that the 2,000 kgs of carbon in the soil has sequestered 7,400 kgs (7.4 t) of CO2 from the atmosphere


‘If these organic systems were applied to the 5.0 billion hectares of global agricultural land, it gives the

potential to sequester 37 gigatonnes of CO2 per year – nearly all of the world’s CO2 output.’ Andre said 


‘Paying farmers for the carbon that they sequester into the soil can be one of the most effective ways to

alleviate poverty.’ Mr Leu stated


‘The long term Rodale farming comparison trials showed that organic systems sequestered an average of

7.4 tonnes of CO2 per hectare per year into the soil.’ 


‘The current price per tonne of CO2 on the European Climate Exchange is around $21.50. Good organic

farmers could earn around $160 per hectare per year on top of the money they earn from their crops. This

would be a significant income boost for most farmers, especially for the millions of smallholders in the

developing world who live on less that $400 a year.’


‘Currently only farm forestry is included in the Kyoto carbon trading protocols. This ties up good agricultural

land from food production and prevents farmers from receiving an income from a wide variety of crops.’ 



Dec 2009

Andre Leu, Chairman, OFA 

P.O Box 800, Mossman, Qld 4873  Ph:07 40987610  Mob:0428 459870 Email: chair@ofa.org.au  


2




‘By including soil carbon, farmers can earn money from both their crops and the carbon they sequester. Very

importantly the land can be used for food production.’ Andre said


‘No other industry has the potential of Organic Agriculture to significantly reduce Greenhouse Gases,

increase productivity and alleviate poverty for the world’s poorest farmers.’


‘Governments around the world need include organic agriculture in their climate change policies and actively

promote its adoption. Furthermore, after years of neglect there serious funding is needed into organic

Research and Development to improve on the current best practices. This will improve on the amount of CO2

that can be sequestered into the soil and improve on the yields of food and fibre.’ Mr Leu Stated




-ENDS-

The Organic Federation of Australia is the peak body and the largest representative organic organisation in

Australia. For further information please visit www.ofa.org.au


For Interviews:

Andre Leu, OFA Chair

Mob: 0428 459870 

Land: 07 40987610

Email: chair@ofa.org.au



References:

La Salle ,T. and Hepperly, P. (2008), Regenerative Organic Farming: A Solution to Global Warming, The

Rodale Institute 611 Siegfriedale Road Kutztown, PA 19530-9320 USA


Pimentel D et al (2005), Environmental, Energetic and Economic Comparisons of Organic and Conventional

Farming Systems, Bioscience (Vol. 55:7), July 2005


Rodale (2008) Farm Systems Trial, The Rodale Institute 611 Siegfriedale Road Kutztown, PA 19530-9320

USA


Unep-Unctad (2008), Organic Agriculture and Food Security in Africa, Sept 2008. http://www.unep-

unctad.org/cbtf/index.htm


AR 4 Synthesis Report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)








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