The week long event runs between 4 鈥� 8 November 2024 and provides a platform for anyone interested in the countryside to hear how the UK鈥檚 rural economy and agriculture can help tackle climate change and improve sustainability.
Countryside COP is a mix of virtual and live events, and any organisation with an interest in the rural economy can host their own events to debate and discuss key issues.
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Spokespeople from farming, local authorities, education, research, finance and more will set out the challenges and vision for farming and the countryside.
The Countryside COP allows the rural community and UK agriculture to set the agenda and will serve to amplify policy asks and other messaging through many voices.
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Many of the events held under Countryside COP3 are available to watch again at:
Tackling issues at the national, sectorial and local level
Last year鈥檚 Countryside COP3 featured a record 28 events held by a variety of stakeholders from across the rural economy between 20 鈥� 24 November 2023.听
These included organisations from the energy, financial and water industries as well as agricultural and commodity specific organisations.
From local events to national challenges
Events at Countryside COP varied greatly 鈥� some were locally focused with Doug Christie, Farm Carbon Toolkit鈥檚 Carbon Farmer of the Year, hosting a farm walk in Fife, whilst Yorkshire Water held evening discussions with their tenants.
Other events explored national challenges. The Met Office and ADAS delivered an engaging three-part online series exploring resilience in agricultural supply chains, targeting audiences from farmers to policy makers.
Within the energy sector, National Grid discussed how the national electricity transmission network would be reimagined in the journey towards net zero, while NFU Energy looked at how farm businesses could increase their energy self-sufficiency through renewable sources.
More events focused on skills and practices that individuals could adopt, with several exploring the range of carbon calculator tools available and their potential usages on farms. The diversity in the breadth and scale of topics at Countryside COP generated engagement across the programme and led to active participation in many Q&A panels.
NFU representation at home and abroad
皇家华人was actively involved in the event. NFU Energy鈥檚 event on renewable energy self-sufficiency on farms was well attended and Dr Ceris Jones, Senior Adviser for Climate Change, appeared alongside national livestock board member Mark Jelley at a Met Office and ADAS hosted event, where they discussed enhancing climate resilience on farms.
Ceris also represented the NFU at COP28 with Jenny Brunton, Senior European Policy adviser at the British Agriculture Bureau, to represent the interests of British agriculture and food production.
