Background

Greenhouse gases naturally occur in the earth’s atmosphere and keep our climate relatively warm and stable by absorbing and re-radiating the sun’s warmth. Human activities since industrialisation have increased the concentration of these gases in the atmosphere, resulting in more heat being trapped, causing an “enhanced” greenhouse effect and warming the earth’s surface.

Scientists predict that this will result in changes to our climate. For the Riverina this may mean less and more unpredictable rainfall, fewer frosts and more severe droughts.

For more information on climate change go to the Department of Climate Change

What is the rice industry doing?

The RGA was the first agricultural industry to develop a greenhouse strategy back in (2002) and is a member of the Federal Government’s Greenhouse Challenge. 

Initiatives from the greenhouse strategy including greenhouse training and an emissions scorecard are being implemented through the Environmental Champions Program.  These initiatives are aimed at better understanding the industry’s greenhouse gas emissions and promoting ways to reduce emissions.

For ideas from rice growers on being greenhouse friendly click here.