Energy News
FARM NEWS
New Zealand scraps plan to tax livestock burps, farts
Reuters Events SMR and Advanced Reactor 2025
New Zealand scraps plan to tax livestock burps, farts
by AFP Staff Writers
Wellington (AFP) June 11, 2024

New Zealand's centre-right government said Tuesday it is scrapping a scheme to price greenhouse gas emissions from livestock -- squelching a so-called burp tax.

New legislation will be introduced to parliament this month to remove the agriculture sector from a new emissions pricing plan, it said.

"The government is committed to meeting our climate change obligations without shutting down Kiwi farms," said Agriculture Minister Todd McClay.

"It doesn't make sense to send jobs and production overseas, while less carbon-efficient countries produce the food the world needs."

The New Zealand economy is driven by agriculture with around 10 million cattle and 25 million sheep roaming the nation's pastures.

Just under half of New Zealand's emissions come from agriculture, with cattle the main culprits.

Cattle burps and flatulence emit methane gas while livestock urine leaks nitrous oxide into the atmosphere.

The previous centre-left Labour government had targeted livestock in its drive towards reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

But the plan to tax livestock emissions, announced by then prime minister Jacinda Ardern in 2022, sparked nationwide protests by farmers fearing it would hurt profits.

The new centre-right government, which came to power late last year, said it would remove agriculture, animal processors and fertiliser companies from the emissions pricing scheme, due to start in 2025.

It wants to help farmers lower emissions through technology without reducing production or exports, the agriculture minister said.

A new "pastoral group" would be set up to tackle biogenic methane emissions in the sector, he added.

Farmers welcomed the decision.

But environmental groups rounded on the government, which also announced plans at the weekend to reverse a five-year ban on new oil and gas exploration.

"From pouring oil, coal and gas on the climate crisis fire, the government has now put half of our emissions which come from agriculture into the industry-led too-hard basket," said Greens co-leader Chloe Swarbrick.

Greenpeace accused the government of "waging an all-out war on nature".

"In the last few days, the coalition government has clearly signalled that the most polluting industries, industrial dairy, and new oil and gas exploration, are free to treat our atmosphere like an open sewer," said Greenpeace spokesperson Niamh O'Flynn.

At the weekend, thousands of people also protested in New Zealand's biggest cities against the new government plans to let major infrastructure projects bypass some environmental regulations.

Related Links
Farming Today - Suppliers and Technology

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
FARM NEWS
Greenhouse cultivation rapidly expanding in low- and middle-income countries
Paris, France (SPX) Jun 05, 2024
Tomatoes, cucumbers, berries, and melons are now available year-round in Europe, largely imported from Spain, where vast areas of white plastic greenhouses cover the southern landscape. A study from the University of Copenhagen reveals that greenhouse cultivation is expanding quickly worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This research used deep learning algorithms and satellite imagery to map global greenhouse areas, finding that they cover at least 1.3 million hectares - almo ... read more

FARM NEWS
Sentinel-5 Air Quality Instrument Ready for Installation

NASA Scientists Take to the Seas to Study Air Quality

Planet Labs Prepares to Launch Tanager-1 Hyperspectral Satellite

Airbus delivers Sentinel-5 instrument for ESA's MetOp satellite

FARM NEWS
Magic Lane secures 3 million euro to enhance location intelligence capabilities

China Encourages BeiDou System Integration in Electric Bicycles

Estonia summons Russian envoy over GPS jamming

OneNav introduces new L5-direct GNSS receiver in response to increased GPS jamming

FARM NEWS
'All Eyes on Papua' campaign generates interest in deforestation cases

Indian Islamic centre warns Muslims against felling trees

DR Congo capital hosts forest forum

Vast concessions threaten Malaysia's forest: report

FARM NEWS
Sky's the limit for biofuels

Sustainable Aviation Fuel Reduces Non-CO2 Emissions

Vast Gets Approval for Solar Methanol Plant in Port Augusta

Singapore shipper claims milestone with bio-methanol refuelling

FARM NEWS
Sweeping review reveals impact of integrating AI into photovoltaics

Redwire to Develop Solar Arrays for Thales Alenia Space's New GEO Satellites

Flexible perovskite/silicon tandem solar cell achieves new efficiency record

Solar investment outstrips all other power forms: IEA

FARM NEWS
Why US offshore wind power is struggling - the good, the bad and the opportunity

Robots enhance wind turbine blade production at NREL

Offshore wind turbines may reduce nearby power output

Wind Energy Expansion Planned for China's Rural Areas

FARM NEWS
Australia gives largest coal power plant two-year lifeline

US plans to end leasing in its largest coal-producing region

In coal country Bulgaria, a losing battle against EU Green Deal

Banks slow to limit coal financing: NGO

FARM NEWS
China accuses US of interfering after Tiananmen comments

US lawmakers urge YouTube to restore Hong Kong protest song

Taiwan president vows to remember China's Tiananmen crackdown

Taiwan holds vigil for China's 1989 Tiananmen crackdown

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.