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

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.