The Australian cotton industry has commissioned independent expert, global firm GHD, to conduct an in-depth assessment of its environmental performance. The assessment has been commissioned by CRDC, Cotton Australia and the industry’s Sustainability Working Group. It is the fourth external examination of cotton’s environmental performance in 30 years.

The assessment will review the industry’s response to the recommendations from the third environmental assessment in 2012. It will also identify current and emerging environmental issues and their implications, and assess current action against these. 

The assessment will include a combination of desktop research, interviews with industry stakeholders, and on-farm visits to farms of all sizes across all growing regions from December 2021 to June 2022. The assessment forms an important part of cotton's commitment to continuous improvement through its PLANET. PEOPLE. PADDOCK Sustainability Framework.