The main aim of the agreement is to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.
That sounds great and worthy in theory but now we, as a nation, need to actually start making real changes to meet this target.
NZ is unique in that much of our output of greenhouse gases comes from agriculture – mainly the ruminant livestock supplying the bulk of our primary exports.
To reduce our emissions we must reduce the amount of methane and nitrous oxide these animals produce. And we must find ways to offset the gases they will always emit.
Last week Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Dr Jan Wright released her report outlining the state of play for NZ’s agriculture industry when it comes to climate change.
Judging by the reaction on the Farmers Weekly Facebook page to the initial story we posted, there are still many with their heads in the sand on this issue.
Arguing that food production should be exempt because other nations would simply fill the gap in a less-sustainable way misses the point.
NZ’s per-capita emissions are well above our OECD contemporaries. Yet, we market our produce with a sustainable, clean green marketing push and talk at length about lifting ourselves up the value chain.
This export goal and the reality of our emissions profile do not line up.
Yes it is true, as Federated Farmers rightly points out, that our emissions have been dropping 1.2% a year for some time.
There are two avenues of hope though, as the commissioner points out.
The first is science. We must invest in research that will help reduce emissions. The other is to plant trees.
So much of our marginal land would be better served being planted, either in natives or in cash crops.
What we can’t do is nothing. Burying your head in the sand will sequester a small amount of carbon for sure but it won’t solve the big problem.
