Taupo, central North Island, New Zealand. Landcorp, a New Zealand Government owned company, currently converting Tahorakuri Forest into large-scale intensive dairy farms. Landcorp has embarked on a project to convert more than 25,000 hectares of pine plantations northeast of Taupo.
Taupo, central North Island, New Zealand. Landcorp, a New Zealand Government owned company, currently converting Tahorakuri Forest into large-scale intensive dairy farms. Landcorp has embarked on a project to convert more than 25,000 hectares of pine plantations northeast of Taupo.
Taupo, central North Island, New Zealand. Landcorp, a New Zealand Government owned company, currently converting Tahorakuri Forest into large-scale intensive dairy farms. Landcorp has embarked on a project to convert more than 25,000 hectares of pine plantations northeast of Taupo. Agriculture accounts for 49 per cent of New Zealands total greenhouse gas emissions.
Taupo, central North Island, New Zealand. Landcorp, a New Zealand Government owned company, currently converting Tahorakuri Forest into large-scale intensive dairy farms.
The land being replanted by Greenpeace is leased and managed by
New Zealand's biggest farmer, State Owned Enterprise Landcorp, and
is part of the Tahorakuri Forest Estate, northeast of Taupo.
Greenpeace has also released aerial footage and photos of
Landcorps forestry conversion to intensive dairy farming.
The activity comes just two weeks after Greenpeace blocked a
shipment of Solid Energy coal in Lyttelton Harbour.
"Just as Solid Energy is expanding the mining and export of
coal, Landcorp is overseeing the conversion of huge tracts of land
from forestry to intensive dairy," said Greenpeace Executive
Director Bunny McDiarmid, from the site of the activity.
"Dairy conversion is at an all time high and it is a major
contributor to our greenhouse gas emissions. It is hypocrisy to
have two state owned enterprises rapidly increasing its emissions
whilst the Government claims to be a world leader on climate. "
"Converting forestry to make way for cows is effectively a
'double whammy' for the climate as it destroys forests and replaces
it with dairy farming which is the most greenhouse gas intensive
form of land use".
Agriculture is responsible for 49 per cent of all New Zealand's
greenhouse gas emissions and these have increased by 15 per cent
since 1990, and the dairy sector is responsible for this increase.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry some
455,000 hectares of forestry land in New Zealand is at risk of
being deforested and converted into pastoral use. This is nearly
seven times the size of Lake Taupo. (1)
Government figures also project that the number of dairy cows in
New Zealand will increase by up to 21 per cent by 2010. (2) We can
expect a corresponding increase in greenhouse gas emissions.
Despite the sector's huge contribution to climate change, there
is currently no legislation or policy in place to keep dairy
expansion in check, or hold agriculture to account for its
emissions. The agriculture sector has been excluded from the
Government's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) until 2013. Even when
it is brought into the scheme the Government will subsidise the
sector by covering the cost of up to 90 percent of its emissions
until 2025.
Greenpeace is calling for a halt to the expansion of dairying
until it can be shown to be more sustainable, and for the sector to
be brought into the ETS within the next two years.
"Some farmers are leading the way by taking steps to reduce
their greenhouse gas emissions and recognise that their farms
economic success depends on environmental sustainability,"
concluded Ms McDiarmid.
For the last six weeks Greenpeace has been travelling New
Zealand as part of the Rainbow Warrior 'Target Climate
Change' tour. Greenpeace is calling on all political parties to
set a domestic emissions reduction target of 30 per cent by 2020
and develop policies to tackle emissions from the agricultural
sector, including as a first step bringing the sector into the
emissions trading scheme within the next two years.
Other contacts: Bunny McDiarmid - Greenpeace Executive Director - At Greenpeace protest - currently no phone coverage, call Simon Boxer for comment or Greg McNevin to arrange an interview.
Simon Boxer- Greenpeace Climate Campaigner - 021 905 579
Greg McNevin, Greenpeace Communications Officer 021 577 556
VVPR info: High-resolution images and video of the action and aerial footage showing the extent of the clearance available at www.greenpeace.org.nz/media
Notes: (1) MAF, Area of forest 'at risk' from deforestation, August 2006, www.maf.govt.nz">http://www.maf.govt.nz/climatechange/forestry/ets/area-at-risk/page-04.htm">www.maf.govt.nz
(2) MFE, Appendix A. Agriculture Emissions Projections provided by Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, September 2007