{"id":73692,"date":"2025-09-15T17:23:17","date_gmt":"2025-09-15T05:23:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/?p=73692"},"modified":"2025-09-15T17:23:26","modified_gmt":"2025-09-15T05:23:26","slug":"luxons-methane-target-gamble-risks-farmers-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/luxons-methane-target-gamble-risks-farmers-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Luxon\u2019s methane target gamble risks farmers\u2019 future"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Soon the Government will announce its decision on New Zealand\u2019s methane target<\/a>. Whether Luxon chooses to formally weaken the target, or to quietly hold the line at the lowest possible level, the outcome will likely be far from good. These changes would mean less action on one of the most dangerous greenhouse gases driving the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n

Why the methane target matters<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

Methane is a superheating gas. Over 20 years, it\u2019s around 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide at trapping heat. And here in New Zealand, it makes up the bulk of climate pollution because of the huge dairy industry and livestock herds<\/a>. That\u2019s why the independent Climate Change Commission<\/a> has been crystal clear: we need to strengthen<\/strong> our methane target, not weaken it.<\/p>\n\n

But instead of listening to science, Luxon is listening to a small group of powerful lobbyists from the livestock industry. They\u2019ve been pushing an accounting trick called \u201cno additional warming,\u201d<\/a> which claims that if we just hold methane steady, everything will be fine. The reality? Current methane levels are already cooking the climate and need to come down fast.<\/p>\n\n

In fact, scientists say that cutting livestock methane is essential to prevent temperature overshoot. They call it our \u201cemergency brake\u201d – our chance to slow global heating within our lifetimes.<\/a><\/p>\n\n

Farmers will be the ones left behind<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

Luxon likes to pitch himself as doing farmers a solid by changing the methane target. In reality, he\u2019s throwing them under the bus. Major customers like Nestl\u00e9 have already warned that New Zealand risks falling behind competitors in Europe and North America if we don\u2019t up our game on climate change<\/a>. Even Fonterra admits its Australian farms are more efficient than those in New Zealand.<\/p>\n\n

By clinging to old myths about being the \u201cmost efficient\u201d dairy producer, Luxon is steering the sector toward a dead end. Instead of preparing farmers for the future, he\u2019s exposing them to trade risks, customer backlash, and lost markets.<\/p>\n\n

The international fallout<\/strong> from a weak methane target<\/h2>\n\n

Luxon might hope to fool New Zealanders into thinking his stance on climate change is bold. But it doesn\u2019t take much to look better than your climate-denying coalition partners.<\/p>\n\n

The thing is, our trading partners won\u2019t buy it. The EU and UK require ambitious climate action as part of their trade deals with us.<\/a> If New Zealand starts gaming the system with an accounting trick, they\u2019ll see it for what it is. And the consequences will be felt most by the very farmers Luxon claims to protect.<\/p>\n\n

What should happen instead<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

New Zealand doesn\u2019t need more climate excuses. We need leadership. That means:<\/p>\n\n