Climate change in focus in Lords inquiry

The House of Lords inquiry into the horticulture sector is switching focus to climate change.

On Thursday 30 March, the Horticultural Sector Committee will be asking what challenges climate change poses to the horticultural sector, as well as putting the spotlight on net zero.

In the first session the committee is hearing from Professor Tim Benton, research director at Chatham House, Dr Chris Thorogood, deputy director of Oxford Botanic Garden, University of Oxford, and Lord Deben, chair of the Climate Change Committee.

In the following session it will hear from Horticulture Week editor Matthew Appleby and Clare Mike, director of business development at LEAF. 

Topics the committee is likely to cover in the sessions include:

• How the horticultural sector and its supply chain contribute to climate change and environmental damage.
• The ease with which farmers and growers can measure their environmental impact.
• The role of the horticultural sector in meeting the government’s environment and net-zero targets.
• Risks and benefits to the environment of future innovations in the sector, such as automation of production processes and new vertical farming methods.
• Reliance of the sector on plastic packaging, and the effectiveness of alternatives.
• The government’s Environmental Land Management Schemes.