Mon, Jul 7 05:15 AM
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) _ Farming has a future in Australia despite a government report warning that the second driest continent on Earth will experience drought twice as often in the future because of climate change, the agriculture minister said Monday. Australia is one of the world's largest exporters of farm produce such as wheat and beef despite being the driest continent after Antarctica.
A report by the government's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in collaboration with the Bureau of Meteorology released Sunday found that drought will occur twice as often and become twice as severe within 30 years. Agriculture Minister Tony Burke said he was confident that Australian farmers would be able to adapt to the drier future with government assistance to develop new techniques and technology.
"I am optimistic," Burke told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.
"The ground rules are tougher but the determination to prepare for the future, to invest in research and development and to actually move the farming agenda forward is far more a concerted an effort now than it's been for a very long time," he added. Ben Fargher, chief executive officer of the National Farmers' Federation agricultural lobby group, agreed that farmers could cope with a drier future with substantial government assistance.
Burke's government plans to pass legislation through the Parliament next year which will create a carbon emissions trading scheme by 2010 as part of strategy to cut Australia's greenhouse gas pollution.
If you are young, have a hectic social life where you drink and party, and have applied for a job, chances are you will lose out to someone who is a teetotaler.
| Copyright © Yahoo Web Services India Pvt Ltd. All rights reserved. Questions or Comments Privacy Policy -Terms of Service - Copyright Notice |
