Farming groups have welcomed news that the coalition government is appointing an independent panel of experts to review reduction targets for agricultural biogenic methane.
Beef+Lamb New Zealand (BLNZ) chair Kate Acland and Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford called the move fair to the sector, saying science supports their view that current targets go further than is needed to achieve no further warming.
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced the independent review at the weekend, saying it is important that targets are consistent and at a level that does not add to warming.
“This independent review, which will report back to the government by the end of the year, will provide evidence-based advice on what our domestic 2050 methane target should be, consistent with the principle of no additional warming,” McClay said.
Targets set by the previous government are to reduce emissions by between 24% and 47% by 2050 from 2017 levels. They include a 10% reduction in emissions by 2030.
The government statement makes no mention whether the 2030 target is still applicable.
Acland said BLNZ has been calling for a review saying the global understanding of how to account for the difference between long- and short-lived gases has evolved since NZ’s targets were set in 2019.
She said the focus should be on the warming impact of greenhouse gases, not total emissions, and she believes methane should be asked to do what is being asked of the other gases, which is to achieve no additional warming.
“This review is critical to fair outcomes for the agriculture sector and its ongoing viability in support of the NZ economy.”
Last year, in partnership with DairyNZ and Federated Farmers, BLNZ released research by leading climate scientists at Oxford and Cranfield Universities that showed current methane targets are too high and methane targets are far beyond achieving no additional warming.
“The report showed that the current reduction targets could effectively see methane offset all the expected additional warming from carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide from the entire NZ economy between now and 2050,” she said.
Langford said current methane targets set by the previous government were political driven instead of scientifically robust.
“They go much further and faster than what is needed to achieve no further warming and will come at a huge cost to farmers, rural communities, and the NZ economy,” Langford said
Other parts of the economy are being asked to reach net zero and stop their contribution to further warming by 2050, but farmers are being asked to go much further than that.
“It’s important that this review is given a clear objective of aligning methane targets with what would be required to stop farmers contribution to further warming,” Langford said.
