Farmers would hate being sidelined as bludgers in climate change battle

Farmers would hate an idea from United Future to sideline them from doing their bit to fight climate change.

United Future said today New Zealand should question continuing to include methane emissions from ruminant animals, the source of 33% of the country's greenhouse gases, from Kyoto protocol coverage, because "this is part of a naturally occurring digestive process."

United Future says farmers should be excused from paying for these emissions.

However, the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development says growing trees is part of a natural greenhouse gas absorption process too, and if United Future's logic were followed foresters also shouldn't get emission credits.

"And farmers would hate being told not to help the country in the major national effort that's going to be needed to beat and benefit from climate change," the Business Council's Chief Executive, Peter Neilson, says. "It would also prevent them presenting themselves to northern hemisphere markets as a sustainable and carbon neutral food source.

"The public is taking the commonsense view that sectors which can't lower their emissions immediately, because they currently don't have a technology solution, should be given a period to adjust. However, they believe emitters in all sectors should be made responsible for their emissions over time.

"In the end a charge for emissions will result in emission-intensive sectors getting smarter.

"The farmers will hate not only being excluded from doing their bit for the country, but to also being forced to bludge off other Kiwis who'll be paying for farm emissions. It would be a return to the old system of subsidies.

"If we're going to have sustainable development, as a way of managing climate change and protecting and enhancing our trading position, it's a case of 'everyone in' – no exceptions.

"People should get credits for cutting emissions and pay when they exceed emission targets.

"The vast majority of Kiwis – including farmers we suspect – will knuckle down to fight climate change on this 'fair go' basis. There's no place for excluding anyone or any sector."

The Business Council's full land management and climate change policy submission to Government, and ShapeNZ online polling on New Zealanders' views about excluding sectors from emissions pricing, are at
http://www.nzbcsd.org.nz/project.asp?ProjectID=37

ENDS

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