Zoom in on Net Zero - with UCL sustainable agriculture expert Dr Carole Dalin

James Murray
clock • 1 min read

VIDEO: Principal research fellow at UCL's Institute for Sustainable Resources chats to James Murray about decarbonising agriculture and food

Dr Carole Dalin is principal research fellow at University College London's (UCL) Institute for Sustainable Resources, and an independent research fellow at the Natural Environment Research Council.

Her work at UCL focuses in particular on water, food trade and agriculture sustainability, and she recently co-authored a fascinating report commissioned by HSBC which looks at the challenges and opportunities for developing a net zero agriculture system in the UK.

The study offers the stark conclusion that urgent action and "tough investment decisions" are needed across the agricultural sector in order to shift farming, food and water onto a climate-friendly footing in line with the National Farming Union's 2040 net zero target, and to bolster resilience against escalating climate risks.

Ahead of BusinessGreen's upcoming Net Zero Nature summit later this month, Dalin spoke to editor in chief James Murray about how serious the growing risks are from water scarcity, the role for farming in supporting nature-based carbon sequestration, the need for dietary shifts away from red meat, and whether the agricultural sector can credibly decarbonise within two - or even three - decades. The conversation can be watched in full above.

Want to find out more about nature's role in the net zero transition? Register now for the inaugural Net Zero Nature virtual summit on May 27th.

More on Biodiversity

'Nature's engineers': Nattergal launches first beaver-created biodiversity credits

'Nature's engineers': Nattergal launches first beaver-created biodiversity credits

Leading nature recovery project to issue Biodiversity Net Gain Units linked to release of family of beavers in Lincolnshire river

clock 26 February 2026 • 3 min read
'Major blind spot': Supply chains depleting grasslands and wetlands four times faster than forests

'Major blind spot': Supply chains depleting grasslands and wetlands four times faster than forests

Research warns extensive conversion of grasslands and wetlands is being driven by global food, animal feed, and bioenergy demand

clock 26 February 2026 • 3 min read
Protecting profits and nature go hand in hand

Protecting profits and nature go hand in hand

The COP17 UN Biodiversity Summit in Armenia later this year must push to accelerate nature in corporate transition planning, write WWF's Nicolas Poolen and CDP's Scott Twigg

Nicolas Poolen, WWF International, and Scott Twigg, CDP
clock 25 February 2026 • 3 min read