policies and new zealand experience in livestock ghgs and...
TRANSCRIPT
Hayden Montgomery International Policy
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
26 August 2009
Policies and New Zealand experience in livestock GHGs and update on LEARN
Seminario internacional: Gases con efecto invernadero (GEI) y metodologías para evaluar emisiones de N2O desde suelos agrícolasto – Osorno, Chile
Population – 4 million people
Climate and Land– Abundant rain and sunshine, mild to warm temperatures
– 1 600 km from subtropical North to cool South
– Grass grows all year, livestock are grazed outdoors
Agriculture and Forestry – Pastoral farming dominates
– Horticulture is increasingly important
– Some arable farming
– Forestry - 1.8 mil ha of plantation forests
New Zealand: snapshot
Land use and livestock in New Zealand
Natural forest24%Other
land18%
Pasture& arable land
51%
- Total land area of New Zealand: 27 million hectares- 38 million sheep (+33 million lambs per year)- 5.2 million dairy cattle- 4.4 million beef cattle- 1.4 million farmed deer
Plantedproduction forest
7%
74% in permanent pasture
Agriculture and forestry vital to New Zealand’s economy
Agriculture, horticulture and forestry– Contribute 18% to GDP– Represent over 12% of employment– Total gross agricultural revenue is $19 billion (year ended March
2008)– Around 85% of New Zealand’s agricultural produce is exported
New Zealand is the world’s…– 12th largest agricultural exporter (by
value)– #1 sheep meat exporter (6% world
production)– #1 dairy product exporter (2.2% world
production)– #2 wool exporter (11%world production)– #4 beef exporter (1% world production)
Horiculture16%
Dairy36%
Other7%
Agricultural services14%
Beef10%
Deer 1%
Wool 3%Crop and seeds 2%
Poultry and Pigs 2%
Sheep and lamb9%
New Zealand’s GHG emissions profile
Agriculture is almost 50% of New Zealand’s total emissions
All land use (agriculture and forestry) dominates New Zealand emissions profile
Almost one third of NZ total emissions is a result of enteric fermentation
• Climate change poses a significant threat to New Zealand’s primary industry - agriculture, horticulture, forestry and tourism - rely on stable climatic conditions.
• There are risks from potential inductions of newly adapted pests and diseases and changing growth conditions for mainstream species, and from unpredictable weather such as droughts, floods and storms.
• Markets are increasing their demands for traceability and sustainability of agriculture products – including GHGs
• With many threats come opportunities – through changing competitive and/or comparative advantage, e.g. product differentiation, extended growing season
• The key to avoiding threats and taking advantage of opportunities is good information
Climate change presents threats and opportunities for agriculture
New Zealand’s international obligations
New Zealand is an Annex I country under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Annex I countries are the developed countries.
Annex I countries have a collective responsibility under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce their total emissions to 5 percent below 1990 levels over the period 2008-2012.
New Zealand’s individual country commitment under the Kyoto Protocol is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels over the period 2008-2012 or take responsibility for any excess.
Evolution of New Zealand’s policy framework - a 10 year story
GHG Inventory development (Nz O Net and MethaNet)
PGgRc formed
Government review of climate change policy
LEARN established
NZ Emissions Trading Scheme
Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change Plan of Action
Review of NZ Emissions Trading Scheme
Establishment of NZ Research Centre announced
Global Alliance
2002
1999
2005
2007
2008
2009
Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium
– Science, farming and business operating in partnership with government - reinforced by MOU
– Operated effectively since 2002 working with various science providers and international organisations
– Now entering second 5 year research programme
Figure 1. Methanobrevibacter ruminantium contigs scaffolded onto the Methanothermobacter thermoautotrophicus genome sequence, also showing good alignment of genes with Methanosphaera stadmanae.
World’s first genome sequencing for a rumen methanogen
Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change Plan of Action
Government investment of $175 million over 5 years
Three pillars: – adaptation– mitigation– business opportunities
Three supporting programmes: – research and innovation– technology transfer and information– communication and engagement
Partnership between industry, Maori, central and local Government
Governed by Peak Body and supported by Technical Advisory Groups
Livestock Emissions and Abatement Research Network (LEARN)
Objectives:– To improve understanding, measuring and
monitoring of non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions from animal agriculture at all scales
– To facilitate the development of cost effective and practical greenhouse gas mitigation solutions
A series of workshops held in New Zealand, Australia, Uruguay, Peru, Chile on a range of topics including plant breeding, animal breeding, measurement of emissions.
Now more than 400 members from 47 countries
LEARN Fellowship Programme - launched June 2008
www.livestockemissions.net
New Zealand LEARN Fellowship Programme
Fellowships available for researchers from developing countries
Post-Graduate and Post-Doctoral opportunities with up to 12 months tenure
Fellowships have been awarded to researchers from:– Uruguay, India, Indonesia, Colombia, China, Peru, Iran, Brazil
Fellowships have focussed on:– Understanding nitrous oxide emissions in grazing systems– Measurement of methane emissions in livestock– Developing research capabilities in home country– Modelling of emissions at landscape scale
Details of how to apply: www.newzealandeducated.com
New Zealand Centre for Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research
Recognised world leading research programme on mitigation.
New funding commitment of $5 million per annum over 10 years.
Provides certainty in order to undertake long-term research projects.
The Centre will focus on agriculture GHG mitigation research including:
– methane from ruminant animals and waste systems,– nitrous oxide from ruminant animals and nitrogen fertiliser, and– soil carbon from agriculture and horticulture.
International linkages– The research carried out or coordinated by the Centre will have strong
international links.
A Global Alliance on agriculture mitigation research
The agriculture sector’s size globally means that, ultimately, a successful outcome on climate change must include mitigation in agriculture.
Critically, this mitigation must occur while still allowing a rapid increase in food production. The global challenge of meeting climate change and food security objectives is immense.
There is an urgent need for scaled-up international research and investment into agriculture mitigation solutions, and for greater coordination of existing efforts.
New Zealand considers that a ‘Global Alliance’ on agriculture greenhouse gas mitigation research is needed.
Objectives of a Global Alliance
Co-ordinate research on agricultural emissions reductions by linking up existing and new research efforts across a range of sub-sectors;
Facilitate increased global investment in agricultural mitigation research
Drive more rapid commercialisation and diffusion of agriculture mitigation technologies in developed and developing countries
Ensure that as the world increases food production, mitigation of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions is given due consideration
New Zealand prepared to take a leadership role in grazing livestock research
“Virtual” governance structure
Research Sub-Sectors
Livestock
Global AllianceGlobal Alliance
Rice Soil Carbon
Structure of the Global Alliance
Five closing thoughts
1. There remain significant technical challenges for effective mitigation of livestock greenhouse gas emissions.
2. The agriculture sector’s size globally means that, ultimately, a successful outcome on climate change must include mitigation in agriculture.
3. We must not threaten global food production.
4. Government – Industry - Science cooperation is critical.
5. We must scale-up international research and investment into agriculture mitigation solutions and improve coordination of existing efforts - New Zealand ready and willing.
How can this workshop contribute?
Strengthened research relationships between New Zealand, PROCISUR and other countries
Identification of key research gaps and capacity needs
Identification and development of possible collaborative research efforts including:
– GHG inventory– GHG footprinting– mitigation research
All will provide an excellent foundation to build a Global Alliance
