Livestock and horticulture sector representatives have been lobbying the Government to broaden the definition, saying New Zealand needs every available tool to meet the goal of being carbon neutral by 2050
Climate Change Minister James Shaw says the Government is looking at the eligibility of vegetation to offset emissions and recognise on-farm sequestration.
“The Ministry for the Environment is looking into the possibility of non-forestry emissions offsetting, which could possibly include riparian planting, shelter belts and various other planting options,” Shaw says.
“And the Minister for Agriculture (Damien O’Connor) has also said that consideration could be given to a system whereby cumulative credits could be given to farmers for overall sequestration across their farm.”
This could see a range of planting options on a farm cumulatively earning credits to offset that property’s overall emissions.
A spokesman said they are part of a range of sequestration and offsetting options being considered by the Government.
The potential change has been welcomed by Federated Farmers vice-president Andrew Hoggard and Mid Canterbury farmer Kerry Harmer who described it as awesome.
“My opinion has always been that as farmers it is like nutrient budgeting,” Harmer said.
“These are all things we count as absorbing carbon and all the things we send as carbon out the gate and there should be an equation at the end of the day and you are above or below the line.”
Harmer, who farms Castle Ridge Station in the Ashburton Gorge with husband Paul, says district plan landscape rules and the harsh high-country environment make it difficult to grow trees that meet carbon sequestration rules.
Planning rules restrict the tree species they can plant while natives are slow growing and therefore slow to absorb carbon.
“We need to try and get people in Wellington who come up with these ideas (to understand) that one size does not fill all.”
Hoggard says it is fair to recognise carbon sinks but rules and compliance must be simple.
A Beef + Lamb survey found 25% of NZ’s native bush is on private farmland and Hoggard says farmers should get credit for its role absorbing carbon along with other woody vegetation.
“The Government is pushing a tax on farmers so we want to have a full account of carbon sinks on farms, not just emission points.”
B+LNZ chief insight officer Jeremy Baker calculates with shelter belts, riparian planting and native bush, sheep and beef farms could be sequestering two-thirds of their carbon emissions, most of which is not recognised.
The rules favour forest plantation, do not incentivise farmers and will make it difficult to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.
The definition of a complying tree or woodlot is Government policy, which can be changed, he says.
“As long as it is science-based and there is good evidence of carbon sequestering then it should be recognised.”
Baker said the science on carbon sequestering in soil is inconclusive.
DairyNZ climate change head Kara Lok says feedback following discussions with the Government is that the changes are possible.
“The Government hasn’t said absolutely that it is going to happen but they have said it is possible.”
Carbon neutrality is more difficult for dairy farmers because they generally have less marginal land to plant in trees but farmers should get credit for any sequestration on their farm.
“If science proves a viable mitigation option for farmers then they should benefit absolutely,” Lok said.
