Robert McLachlan • Nov 02, 2021 •
As the Glasgow climate summits gets underway, New Zealand’s government has announced a revised pledge, with a headline figure of a 50% reduction on gross 2005 emissions by the end of this decade. This looks good on the surface, but the substance of this new commitment, known as a Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), is best assessed in emissions … Read More
Public Health Expert • Oct 31, 2019 •
Prof Nick Wilson, A/Prof George Thomson, A/Prof Simon Hales, Prof Michael Baker The NZ Ministry for the Environment has produced a valuable discussion document with many good ideas for improving the health of waterways in New Zealand. But there are important gaps. In this blog we consider three big-ticket items to include in an integrated strategy to improve our waterways: … Read More
Robert McLachlan • May 09, 2019 •
New Zealand’s long-awaited zero carbon bill will create sweeping changes to the management of emissions, setting a global benchmark with ambitious reduction targets for all major greenhouse gases. The bill includes two separate targets – one for the long-lived greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, and another target specifically for biogenic methane, produced by livestock and landfill waste. Read More
John Kerr • Oct 19, 2016 •
New Zealanders need to work together to tackle the “complex problem of the biological greenhouse gases from agriculture,” warns the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment in a new report. The report Climate change and agriculture: Understanding the biological greenhouse gases, released today, aims to tease out various issues in the fraught area of biological emissions and signpost solutions. “In a way, my report … Read More
Guest Author • Mar 22, 2016 •
Mario Herrero, CSIRO Farming livestock – cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and chickens – contributes around 6 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) to the atmosphere each year. While estimates vary, this could represent up to 18% of global emissions. But the livestock sector also offers great benefits. It includes 20 billion animals, supports … Read More
Peter Griffin • Mar 03, 2010 •
It’s a rare event that brings a CNN news crew to New Zealand – an America’s Cup campaign or a Lord of the Rings launch usually. Or in this case a disrupted flight schedule which prevented the crew from heading to its intended destination – Chile. So the newly formed Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre was lucky … Read More