Emissions reductions for farming and land use in England are off track or going backwards.

Progress lags behind other sectors to such an extent that it is possible that agriculture could be the biggest emitter by the middle of the 2030s, the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) said.

The body – a non-profit organisation conducting analysis on climate issues – warned in its new report that progress was 'significantly off target' for the industry.

MORE NEWS | Farmers urged to prepare for winter slurry storage now

Although the rate of progress towards woodland creation in England improved last year, up to 4550ha in the year to March 2024, from 3130ha the previous year – considerably short of the target to plant 7500ha of new woodland by 2025.

And the share of farmers engaged in low carbon farming practices such as energy efficiency and improving the efficiency of slurry management has gone backwards, down to 48% from 66% in 2020. The target for 2025 is 70%, and for 2037 is 85%.

Efforts to restore England’s peatlands are also behind target.

Farming analyst at the ECIU, Tom Lancaster, said: “There is a tragic irony in farmers’ harvests, revenues and the UK’s food self-sufficiency falling due to a winter which climate change made wet in the extreme, and the sector’s own emissions remaining high for at least the last decade.

"The UK’s farms and land could well be releasing more greenhouse gas emissions than its power stations. Look ahead another decade and the UK’s land, including agriculture, could be our number one source of emissions.

"As the new government considers the upcoming Climate Change Committee progress report, it will need to move quickly to bring forward policies that are capable of making up for lost time."