On Sunday 31 January the New Zealand Climate Change Commission (CCC) released its DRAFT Advice for Consultation. This draft report outlines a suggested pathway to meeting New Zealand’s commitment of reaching net zero emissions of long-lived gases by 2050, and to reducing biogenic methane emissions by between 24-47% by 2050.
Agriculture has been identified as a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and as such, one chapter of the report, focuses on agricultural emissions.
Much of the CCC focus on agriculture considers methane emissions from pastoral farming systems. It also considers the impact of other long-lived greenhouse gases including nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide.
Emissions reduction options specific to arable farming have not been discussed in great detail, being referred to as a ‘small proportion of agricultural emissions’. The CCC report emphasises that options for reducing emissions in arable farming largely relate to reducing nitrous oxide released from fertiliser, including through more efficient application, timing of application and reducing overall fertiliser use. Reducing N use also provides other benefits – it reduces potential risk of N leaching losses to ground water and also saves money.
Under the terms of the Primary Sector Climate Action Partnership - He Waka Eke Noa programme, 25 percent of growers are expected to know their ‘farm’s GHG emission number’ and have a written plan (e.g. farm plan) to manage these emissions by the end of this year. Currently, FAR, on behalf of growers, is working in partnership with He Waka Eke Noa to understand what options growers have to calculate and report on farm emissions. It is a complex task, as any calculation needs to take into account the many different crops and combinations of crops grown on arable farms each year.
GHG farm plan milestones for the arable industry*
Dec 2021 25% of New Zealand farmers know their farm’s GHG emissions ‘number’ and have a written plan in place to manage their emissions
Dec 2022 All New Zealand farmers know their farm’s GHG emissions ‘number’
Dec 2024 All of New Zealand farmers have a written plan in place to manage their emissions
* These milestones, as well as provisions to determine whether progress is being made, have been legislated through the Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Reform) Amendment Act.
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