Australian wine industry tackling climate change

(Phys) - Wine businesses around the country are taking steps to offset the potential effects of climate change, a study has found.

Associate Professor Jeremy Galbreath, of the Curtin Graduate School of Business, surveyed 532 Australian wine companies in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. Participants were asked about their knowledge of climate change and the measures they were taking in order to mitigate the potential impact on their industry. 

Dr Galbreath says the study was not aimed at gauging businesses' opinions on climate change, but rather to find out what measures are being undertaken by businesses in various wine regions. 

More than half of respondents said they had implemented or were in the process of implementing measures to reduce the number of agrichemicals used in their businesses. 

The study also showed that water saving techniques were common practice, with three quarters of respondents in Western Australia saying they were attempting to save water in their vineyards. 

Many producers were implementing mitigative measures that would reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, such as use of alternative energy sources, use of alternative packaging like lightweight glass and PET bottles, reducing refrigeration loads and extra plantings of trees and shrubs to act as carbon sinks.