Category Archives: greenhouse gases

Sequestration rules will change

Government foreshadows new ETS sequestration categories but then creates yet another communication muddle The Government’s on-farm sequestration policy appeared to have taken a big step forward with a media release from the Government on 30 November, apparently timed to coincide … Continue reading

Posted in forestry, greenhouse gases, Uncategorized | 14 Comments

Moving forward with methane levies

Split-gas breaks the link to charging methane emissions based on contentious carbon dioxide equivalence. It opens the door to a levy based on research, development, extension and education (RDE&E) needs rather than simply a tax In my last article I … Continue reading

Posted in Dairy, greenhouse gases, Meat Industry, Uncategorized | 12 Comments

Agricultural GHG bullets are firing randomly

At times I despair at the GHG debate in New Zealand. There are multiple teams firing firecrackers masquerading as missiles into the debate, thereby creating noise but little substance. Here my focus is on the agricultural gases, methane and nitrous … Continue reading

Posted in greenhouse gases, sheep and beef farms, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Key methane technologies misfire

  Methane technology breakthroughs cannot stop cannot ruminants from doing what comes naturally Reducing methane production from pastoral agriculture lies at the heart of efforts to make pastoral agriculture more climate friendly. If only sheep and cattle could be made … Continue reading

Posted in carbon farming, Dairy, forestry, greenhouse gases, sheep and beef farms, Uncategorized | 15 Comments

Simon Upton, methane and forestry

Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton says there are good reasons to allow forestry offsets for methane rather than for fossil fuels Simon Upton, in his role as Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, has produced a new ‘Note’ for … Continue reading

Posted in carbon farming, forestry, greenhouse gases, Uncategorized | 18 Comments

Carbon credits are not created equal

Carbon offsets are fundamental to New Zealand’s greenhouse-gas policies. However, not all offsets are created equal. That sets the scene for all sorts of games to be played, with winners and losers. This is further complicated by marketing ploys that … Continue reading

Posted in carbon farming, forestry, greenhouse gases, Uncategorized | 9 Comments

Dairy is fundamental to New Zealand’s future but it needs an informed debate

The key message of this article is that dairy is of fundamental importance to the future of Aotearoa New Zealand.  However, the journey to get there is not straight forward and it will be controversial. First, I set out the … Continue reading

Posted in Dairy, greenhouse gases, Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Mega changes announced to forestry and carbon policies

There were two big announcements by Government entities in the last week of July affecting forestry rules and carbon pricing. To a large extent, the announcements escaped media scrutiny.   That lack of scrutiny was because explanations require an understanding … Continue reading

Posted in carbon farming, forestry, greenhouse gases, Uncategorized | 15 Comments

Climate Change Commission pours reality on HWEN proposals

Industry groups now need to decide how to manage the HWEN stand-off with the risk of being left outside the tent Big decisions are now required, both by rural industry groups and Government, following the Climate Change Commission advice on … Continue reading

Posted in carbon farming, Dairy, forestry, greenhouse gases, Uncategorized | 15 Comments

Wrestling with methane metrics

The methane debate is more about politics, policy and value judgements than it is about science In my previous article, I explained how there is much controversy about how methane should be compared to carbon dioxide in terms of global … Continue reading

Posted in Dairy, greenhouse gases, sheep and beef farms, Uncategorized | 7 Comments