More sustainable cotton

The Australian Cotton Sustainability Report 2019, produced by Cotton Research and Development Corporation and Cotton Australia, shows that the cotton industry has increased efficiency in its use of resources, including land and water.

Sustainability for the Australian cotton industry means running profitable and efficient businesses while creating environmental, economic and social value. It also means being accountable to stakeholders for the industry’s actions and impacts.

The report is focused on the eight sustainability topics that are most important to the industry and its stakeholders. These topics were determined though external stakeholder consultation, technical review and industry input. The report data has been used to set five-year targets for 2024 and 2029, along with plans to achieve them.

The industry can point to long-term trends of significant improvement in areas it has focused on in the past, and it will draw on this experience to transform its performance in other areas in the future.

Producing a bale of cotton today takes 48 per cent less water, 34 per cent less land and 97 per cent less insecticide than it did in 1992.