UK sheep farming systems are already contributing to atmospheric cooling, according to the National Sheep Association.

In the week that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued its starkest warning yet of the danger of climate change triggered by human activity, NSA chief executive Phil Stocker commented: “The cuts we have seen in grazing livestock numbers in Britain, coupled with efficiency gains, are considered by Dr Miles Allen of Oxford University to have already contributed to ‘atmospheric cooling’.

"There is of course always more we can do. Changing grazing regimes and reducing waste through improved health management are of note, but my strong belief is that British sheep farming is already at a general point of harmony that brings climate, social and biodiversity benefits.

“We should not consider sheep farming as ‘indulgent’ but should look deeply enough to understand that we are involved in maintaining probably the most stable and resilient plant habitats on earth – grassland," said Mr Stocker. "Managing grassland, for climate resilience, fire avoidance, health and wellbeing and nature, requires grazing and in doing so also converts plant growth into a highly nutritious food and fibre to sustain us. In addition to pasture-based agriculture, introducing sheep into arable rotations produces soil fertility and raises organic matter and helps us return to a more mixed approach to farming – something most nature lovers would welcome.”

Dairy farming's contribution to greenhouse gases has long been under scrutiny, but a reassessment is underway as the science on methane's behaviour in the atmosphere develops. Speaking from Kite Consulting, Rachael Madeley Davies, said that the new 'Global Warming Potential' metric demonstrated how efficient dairy production could be part of the climate solution.

“The development of the GWP metric in recent years has revealed that the existing metric has overstated the effect of methane emissions on global surface temperatures by a factor of three to four, over a 20-year time horizon,” she said.

"Under the GWP metric, a decline in methane emissions to a smaller but still positive value could cause a decline in global warming. If we take the right actions to develop efficient, sustainable farming systems we can manage with fewer animals without compromising production whilst delivering a significant positive impact on our environment."

Another agricultural sector that feels its contribution to preventing climate change is being overlooked is anaerobic digestion, and the World Biogas Association this week urged policy makers to recognise the vital role of AD in recycling methane-emitting organic wastes, particularly those produced along the food and farming production chain.

WBA chief executive, Charlotte Morton, said: "Crucially, anaerobic digestion, the technology that produces biogas as well as a biofertiliser, bioCO2 and other valuable bio-products, is ready to deliver on that potential now. What is badly missing is the political will to remove policy barriers to the growth of the sector, both at global and national levels. The British government must show the leadership required in speedily committing to an integrated strategy that will deliver the full potential of AD in the UK by the end of the decade."