Greenpeace Aotearoa says that while it’s good to see the Government acknowledging that New Zealand’s dairy industry has a climate pollution problem, genetically engineered technofixes are not the solution.

The Government has today announced that it will remove the decades-long ban on genetically engineered crops, highlighting the supposed potential of genetic engineering to reduce methane emissions. Greenpeace has called this a ‘dangerous diversion’.

Greenpeace spokesperson Sinéad Deighton-O’Flynn says, "While it’s good to see the Government finally acknowledging the dairy industry’s major role in the climate crisis, as-yet unproven genetically engineered methane inhibitors will not solve New Zealand dairy’s climate pollution problem.

"The problem is simple, and the solution is simple too. New Zealand has way too many cows, fed with imported feed like rainforest-destroying palm kernel and grass grown with vast quantities of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser.

"The solution is to significantly reduce cow numbers, and end the use of palm kernel and synthetic nitrogen fertiliser. These are things we know will substantially reduce climate pollution. Genetically engineered techno-fixes are a risky distraction."

Greenpeace is calling on the Government to implement real solutions to the dairy industry’s climate pollution, by reducing cow numbers and supporting a transition to plant-based ecological, organic farming that works with nature.

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