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.
After reviewing the Emissions Trading and Renewable Preferences
Bill, the majority of the committee has supported the Government's
proposal to delay the inclusion of agriculture into the Emissions
Trading Scheme (ETS) until 2013.
This is telling the world that New Zealand is not serious about
tackling climate change, as agricultural emissions account for 49
per cent of New Zealand's overall emissions and are projected to
grow substantially over the coming years. This is largely due to
the expansion and intensification of dairy.
"This delay is effectively a massive subsidy for the
agricultural sector, paid for by the New Zealand taxpayer," said
Greenpeace climate campaigner Simon Boxer. "Over $1 billion in
subsidies will go to agriculture under this plan and it will not
encourage the industry to adopt available measures to reduce its
emissions."
In a clear demonstration of the Government being out of step
when it comes to agricultural emissions, even National is prepared
to make a move and make the sector accountable for its emissions
earlier than 2013.
Despite its' confused position on the ETS, National has
acknowledged the importance of agricultural emissions in its
minority report. The party has now flagged the possibility of
agricultural nitrous oxide emissions being brought into the ETS
earlier than 2013.
"If Labour is really serious about reducing emissions, then it
needs to bring agriculture into the ETS by 2010 and scrap the
agricultural Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which is not
working," said Boxer.
Last week, Climate Change Minister David Parker admitted that
the Government had no idea that a consortium of major agriculture
companies - including Fonterra and Ravensdown fertiliser - had
reneged on their original MOU target of 20 per cent emission
reductions on 'business as usual' by 2013.
"The MOU target of 20 per cent emission reductions was the
industry's side of a bargain that saw them offered over $1 billion
in subsidies," said Boxer. "They've reneged, so the deal should be
off the table."
This shows that the industry cannot be relied upon to curb its
own emissions. The Government must step in and make it truly
accountable. Greenpeace is calling for a 30 per cent reduction in
greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, and this cannot be done without
addressing agriculture's increasing contribution to the
problem.
Other contacts: Simon Boxer – Greenpeace Climate Campaigner – 021905579
Greg McNevin – Greenpeace communications – 021577556