Climate team take on cows
Climate Change Minister James Shaw has announced the members of a climate change committee and asked them to look at how to reduce agricultural emissions.
The interim committee is chaired by David Prentice and features former Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Jan Wright.
The interim group will be replaced when an independent Climate Change Commission takes over in May of 2019, when Shaw hopes to pass a Zero Carbon Act, with an amendment at select committee to deal with agriculture.
Both groups will be working towards the same long-term goal: getting New Zealand down to netzero emissions by 2050, with 100 per cent renewable electricity generation by 2035.
The terms of reference specifically asks for advice about how to get agriculture into the Emissions Trading Scheme [ETS].
‘‘It’s always been a presumption that agriculture would come into the ETS when the conditions were right,’’ Shaw said.
Wright and Prentice are joined by deputy chairwoman Lisa Tumahai, of Nga¯ i Tahu, researcher Harry Clark, former Meridian Energy chief executive Keith Turner, and Motu senior fellow Suzi Kerr.
National’s climate change spokesman, Todd Muller, said he supported the committee and its members but not the Government in immediately asking the new group to look at agriculture, when the science to reduce emissions from cattle was not ready.
‘‘It is incredibly difficult to be able to find a solution for ruminant emissions,’’ Muller said.