Thursday, 8 August 2019

IPCC Special Report adds much needed detail to climate debate

DairyNZ Chief Executive Dr Tim Mackle is calling the release of the latest IPCC Special Report overnight a ‘welcome contribution’ to the developing debate on climate.

“New Zealand co-sponsored a proposal for a Special Report on Climate Change, Food and Agriculture in 2015. The report has arrived at an opportune time as New Zealand works out how to play its part in tackling climate change and what it might mean for our agricultural sector and our economy” Dr Mackle says.

“In October 2018, the IPCC Special Report on the impacts of global warming by 1.5 °C really turned the way policymakers viewed climate change on its head.

“This report has the potential to do the same as it highlights some of the challenges and opportunities of providing sustainable food for a growing global population”, says Dr Mackle.

The world’s population is forecast by the United Nations to grow from 7.7 billion today to 9.7 billion by 2050.

“As world leaders in the efficient production of high quality, nutritious, pasture-based, low emissions milk, New Zealand has a huge role to play in showcasing what a sustainable system can deliver.

“The report highlights how much the science is still developing, especially when it comes to agricultural emissions, which again demonstrates that a prudent approach for New Zealand is needed.

“DairyNZ is fully behind playing our part on climate change and supporting our farmers to take action. We need to take some time, however, to fully digest this report and how it might be applied in a New Zealand context,” Dr Mackle concluded.

ENDS

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