Beef + Lamb wants tweaks to emissions trading scheme
BEEF + Lamb New Zealand is calling for urgent action to adjust the emissions trading scheme to limit the carbon forestry offsets available to fossil fuel emitters.
Chief executive Sam McIvor was responding to the Government’s release of discussion paper ‘‘Transitioning to a Low Emissions and Climate Resilient Future’’.
The paper notably contained a slight shift in how the Government was talking about the role of carbononly exotic forestry in addressing climate change, Mr McIvor said.
“We welcome the Government’s recognition that fossil fuel emissions must be reduced, rather than continually offset, to ensure a fair, equitable, and efficient transition to a low emissions economy.
“The discussion document indicates any decision on changing the ETS rules would come by the end of 2022. We’re concerned that’s not fast enough given the scale and pace of land conversion happening.
“New Zealand is the only country with a regulatory ETS that currently allows 100% carbon forestry offsetting. We will be putting forward potential policy solutions as part of this process,’’ he said in a statement.
The planting that occurred in the past year was much higher than the 25,000ha recommended as a sustainable and suitable amount by the Climate Change Commission and, as the carbon price continues to rise rapidly, that would only increase,” Mr McIvor said.
“We are absolutely not antiforestry — we’re concerned about carbononly forestry. Our sector believes there is a better solution, where much of New Zealand’s required budgets for sequestration from forestry could come from the integration of trees on sheep and beef farms, rather than through conversion of whole farms for carbon forestry and the significant negative impacts on rural communities and the economy.
“The Climate Change Commission recommended significant ramping up of native forest planting.
‘‘Sheep and beef farmers want to do their part in this and we will be putting forward potential solutions, based on feedback from farmers.”
Mr McIvor said an acknowledgement by the Government that current policies were likely to see too much carbon forestry planted, along with the opening up of a conversation for potential limits through the ETS, was positive for sheep and beef farmers.
Lobby group 50 Shades of Green agreed the need to question the role of forestry in the ETS over the long term and to have it acknowledged there was concern about potential impacts of largescale exotic forestry on local economies and communitie, especially if the land was suitable for other uses such as growing food.
Fears have been expressed in the South about the sale of productive farmland for carbon forestry blocks, including the effect on rural communities and potential pest management problems.
The discussion document said nonharvest permanent pine was increasingly being planted, mainly for carbon.
‘‘We are aware that some communities are concerned about the potential impacts of largescale permanent exotic forests on local economies and jobs, particularly if the land and suitable for other uses.
‘‘We will investigate the role of different types of permanent exotic forests and whether and how the Government can influence the type, location or scale of these forests, with the aim of making decisions by the end of 2022.
‘‘This will include options to ensure exotic plantation forests transitioning to native forests are managed in line with that intent.’’
There were 7.7 million ha of native forest and about 1.4 million ha of pre1990 planted exotic forest.
Te Uru Rakau New Zealand Forest Service estimated up to 2.7 million ha of lowproductivity pastoral land might be suitable for new afforestation. That included about 1.5 million ha that could be suitable for planting production forestry, and 1.2 million ha for new permanent forest, due to steep, erosionprone land.