Land use focal point for change
The last Whanganui Science Forum talk for 2018 saw environmental researcher and lobbyist Guy Salmon put New Zealand agriculture on notice. took notes.
connection and collaboration between rural and urban populations so that we can take a unified approach to the problems associated with our agricultural industry, which forms such a large part of our economy. We must also not forget the problems associated with urban sewerage systems that can have downstream effects on agriculture.
A unified approach can be expressed in other ways. The tourism industry has a much smaller carbon footprint than meat farming. Most of the tourism emissions come from fossil fuels used in transporting tourists. This fuel is subject to taxation, so the tourist industry pays to offset its emissions. Emissions from animals reared for meat are exempt. This is not a unified approach. Having to pay for the environmentally damaging aspects of their investments is a simple disincentive to invest in polluting industries and an incentive to invest in industry that is at least neutral and hopefully positive for climate change.
One of the strengths we have in bringing these changes is the great feeling of community in New Zealand. Some Land and Water Forum recommendations could not be implemented as they depend upon settling iwi claims to freshwater. This would have allowed fresh water to be brought into public ownership allowing a united front on the solution of many environmental problems. This has not happened due to negative political pressure.
On the positive side Te Ao Maori is influencing many New Zealanders with concepts such as recognising the personhood of a river. Treating a river as a living entity means you would not poison it.
New Zealand has an impressive history of innovation which has resulted in high agricultural productivity and new land uses such as deer farming. But to help innovation and land-use change, more is needed than just research and development. A level playing field for investors is needed. Land prices that are inflated as a result of exemption from paying for water and livestock emissions are not a level playing field. Some countries micromanage their farming sectors by close regulation of what can go into the system. This stifles innovation. Regulating output in terms of factors such as water quality and erosion control provides farmers with an envelope of possible operating modes.
In a particular area, neighbouring land owners can co-operate by using a variety of farming methods and crops which, in combination, keep the area within regulations. Using cow manure from your neighbour’s farm to fertilise your plant growing farm could benefit both.
The response of many people to environmental issues is to drive less or to take your own shopping bag to the supermarket. These are important, but they are at the micro level. This talk was about action at the macro level.
You may agree or disagree with the ideas here, but what cannot disagree with is that we need to work on a united front both nationally and worldwide to avert or at least ameliorate what David Attenborough called the greatest threat to the planet in thousands of years.