NZ Primary Industry Climate Change Commitment
NZ Primary Industry Climate Change Commitment
A new climate change collaboration was launched in October between the NZ Government and primary industry organisations. The NZ Government have agreed to work with industry on the plan proposed by industry which consists of a programme of practical actions to support their farmers in actively managing down their emissions, rather than pursuing a blunt price on emissions at the processor level. The collaboration will operate over the next 5 years. For more information please download a copy of the Primary Sector Climate Change Commitment – our future in our hands document.
Recognition that that while appropriate pricing mechanisms for incentivising emissions reductions can have an important role to play in incentivising change, creating an environment that enables and supports farmers and growers to make changes on-the-ground is equally important. This means:
- Ensuring farmers and growers understand their emissions sources and sinks, and have confidence in the means of estimating them at farm-level (including the potential for offsets from sequestration)
- Equipping farmers and growers with the knowledge, tools and technologies for mitigating and offsetting their on-farm emissions, including access to professional farm advice on farming systems and available practices and technologies
- Ensuring farmers understand the implications of alternative options for reducing emissions on farm performance, enabling them to confidently take decisions. This includes understanding the implications for other aspects of environmental performance (e.g., water quality, animal welfare, biodiversity) as well as on product quality, production and profitability
- Having confidence that there is appropriate investment in the discovery, development and commercialisation of new emissions mitigation technologies, and a commitment to making these available as soon as possible to support the transition. This includes ensuring our regulatory systems are fit for purpose, and enable the development and rapid uptake of safe, effective and reliable emission reduction technologies.
A plan of action that focuses on equipping farmers with the knowledge and tools they need (and which addresses the issues outlined above). This includes a commitment to:
- Delivering a system for estimating and benchmarking farm- level GHG emissions to ensure farmers understand their emissions footprint, sources and sinks.
- Rolling out integrated Farm Environment Plans, covering emissions reductions, offsets and adaptation, to all farmers by 2025.
- Building climate change mitigation knowledge and practice amongst farmers, growers and rural professionals, including through a step-change in extension and engagement programmes.
- Increased support for investment in research, development and commercialisation to expand the tools and technologies available to farmers to reduce emissions, and to accelerate their uptake.
- Encouraging innovation and early adoption of tools and practices that deliver emissions reductions, including working with the government to put in place appropriate mechanisms for recognising early adopters and promoting them as exemplars to help other farmers and growers to reduce their emissions.
- Engaging with the 1 billion trees programme to enhance on-farm carbon sinks to offset farm emissions consistent with the ‘right tree in the right place’ approach.
- Delivering region-and sector-specific adaptation guidance that can be incorporated into Farm Environment Plans so all farmers and growers are prepared for the effects of climate change.
- Working with government to develop appropriate pricing mechanisms.
- Demonstrating leadership globally to encourage momentum on agricultural emissions reduction.
It also acknowledges that in progressing the above programme of action, we cannot follow a ‘one-size-fits all’ approach. Our primary sector is diverse, comprising pastoral, horticultural and arable sectors, with farmers and growers differing in their level of awareness, motivation and capability to act. These differences will need to be worked through in further developing the programme of action to be delivered.