Farming Roadmap 2050: Growing England’s Future

The Farming Roadmap 2050 treats climate and nature as part of productive farming rather than a trade-off, committing to maintain domestic food production at least at current levels while restoring biodiversity, improving water and air quality and cutting emissions. Agriculture produced about 12% of UK greenhouse gas emissions in 2024 and is on track to become the highest-emitting sector by 2050, so the Climate Change Committee's advice implies a fall of around 45% by 2050 against 2022 levels. The roadmap responds with a sector-wide emissions conversation in 2026, a Food and Farming Decarbonisation Plan, research into methane-suppressing feed and low-emission livestock systems, £1bn for tree planting and £85m for peatland restoration. On adaptation, it plans for at least 2°C of warming by 2050, with a fourth National Adaptation Programme in 2028, at least £300m for natural flood management (2026 to 2036), and measures on drought, water storage and wildfire risk. On nature, it points to statutory targets to halt species decline by 2030, restore or create 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat by 2042 (250,000 by 2030), and double the number of farms providing year-round wildlife resources by 2030.