Politicians weak-kneed over agriculture's climate impact

Press release - June 16, 2008
Judging by today’s report back to Parliament on climate change legislation, Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee has – like the Government – failed to address agriculture’s burgeoning 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. 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

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