Agricultural Emissions Mitigation in New Zealand: Answers to Questions from the Parliamentary Commisioner for the Environment

Kerr, Suzi

doi:10.2139/ssrn.2854591

Cited by 19 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…As global environmental issues worsen, and the need for urgent action increases, there remains a tendency among policymakers to be parochial in their decision-making: awaiting evidence to both support the local applicability of international research and to address context-specific, and often industry-promoted, uncertainties (Noss 2010;Oreskes and Conway 2010;Swinburn et al 2019). In this respect, New Zealand may be seen as an important case study, given that national food production systems are generally considered to be more efficient and less emissions-intensive than those in other parts of the world (Kerr 2016), despite scant evidence to support such claims (FAO 2010;Ledgard et al 2010;Lieffering et al 2012;Saunders et al 2006). Central to the debate is livestock, with the majority of sustainable diet modeling studies including impacts of industrialized, grain-fed production systems, as opposed to grazing systems such as those widely used in New Zealand and elsewhere (Aleksandrowicz et al 2016;Garnett et al 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Healthy and Climate-Friendly Eating Patterns in the New Zealand Context

Drew

Cleghorn

Macmillan

et al. 2020

Environ Health Perspect

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BACKGROUND: The global food system is driving both the climate crisis and the growing burden of noncommunicable disease. International research has highlighted the climate and health co-benefit opportunity inherent in widespread uptake of plant-based diets. Nevertheless, uncertainty remains as to what constitutes healthy and climate-friendly eating patterns in specific world regions. OBJECTIVES: Using New Zealand as a case study, this research investigates the extent to which potential contextual differences may affect the local applicability of international trends. It further examines the potential for demand-end avenues to support a transition toward a healthier, more climatefriendly food system in New Zealand. METHODS: A New Zealand-specific life-cycle assessment (LCA) database was developed by modifying cradle to point-of-sale reference emissions estimates according to the New Zealand context. This food emissions database, together with a New Zealand-specific multistate life-table model, was then used to estimate climate, health, and health system cost impacts associated with shifting current consumption to align with dietary scenarios that conform to the New Zealand dietary guidelines (NZDGs). RESULTS: Whole plant foods, including vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains were substantially less climate-polluting (1:2-1:8 kgCO 2 e=kg) than animal-based foods, particularly red and processed meats (12-21 kgCO 2 e=kg). Shifting population-level consumption to align with the NZDGs would confer diet-related emissions savings of 4-42%, depending on the degree of dietary change and food waste minimization pursued. NZDGabiding dietary scenarios, when modeled out over the lifetime of the current New Zealand population, would also confer large health gains (1.0-1.5 million quality-adjusted life-years) and health care system cost savings (NZ$14-20 billion). DISCUSSION: Guideline-abiding dietary scenarios, particularly those that prioritize plant-based foods, have the potential to confer substantial climate and health gains. This research shows that major contextual differences specific to New Zealand's food system do not appear to cause notable deviation from global trends, reinforcing recent international research.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Healthy and Climate-Friendly Eating Patterns in the New Zealand Context

Drew

Cleghorn

Macmillan

et al. 2020

Environ Health Perspect

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“…Production of meat from ruminant animals has been identified as a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, especially compared with other food categories. 1 , 2 But what about in New Zealand, where cows and sheep are allowed to graze rather than being confined to feedlots 3 —an arguably climate-friendlier alternative due to lower feed inputs and the potential for carbon sequestration? 4 Are meat and dairy still so much worse for the climate?…”

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confidence: 99%

Diet Impacts on Climate and Health: New Zealand’s Experience

Seltenrich¹

2020

Environ Health Perspect

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Production of meat from ruminant animals has been identified as a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, especially compared with other food categories. 1,2 But what about in New Zealand, where cows and sheep are allowed to graze rather than being confined to feedlots 3-an arguably climate-friendlier alternative due to lower feed inputs and the potential for carbon sequestration? 4 Are meat and dairy still so much worse for the climate? The answer, according to a team of researchers reporting in Environmental Health Perspectives, is clear: Even under these conditions, animal-based foods, particularly red and processed meats, are responsible for significantly more greenhouse gas emissions than vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains. 5 "There's been a lot of uncertainty about how New Zealand relates to the rest of the world and the climate impacts of our diet," says lead author Jonathan Drew, a medical student at the University of Otago, Dunedin. "There's really strong global evidence 6 that shows that diets that are predominately plant-based are much more climate-friendly than typical Western diets. What we find in New Zealand is surprisingly similar to what has been found elsewhere." Drew and his colleagues from the University of Otago started with a 2013 life cycle assessment database of foods eaten in the United Kingdom. 7 The team then adapted these data to develop a New Zealand-specific database of estimated greenhouse gas emissions associated with seven life cycle stages: farming and processing, transportation, transit packaging, consumer packaging, warehousing and distribution, refrigeration, and supermarket overheads. Beef and lamb ranked at the top of the list, representing 21 and 17 kg of carbon dioxide equivalents per kilogram of food (kgCO 2 e=kg)-a measure of what is known as climate impactalthough these figures are below previously reported global averages of 27 and 26 kgCO 2 e=kg. 8 Butter and cheese, meanwhile, were rated at 11 and 10 kgCO 2 e=kg, respectively, whereas eggs were rated at 4:9 kgCO 2 e=kg. Highly processed sugary items (including baked goods, ice cream, and soft drinks) averaged in the 2-4 kgCO 2 e=kg range. Most plant-based foods contributed less than 2 kgCO 2 e=kg, although rice had a climate impact of 4:1 kgCO 2 e=kg and the nuts, seeds, and dried fruit category clocked in at 3:6 kgCO 2 e=kg. Rice production emits methane as organic material decomposes in flooded fields. The farming and processing of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, on the other hand, requires more inputs of energy (e.g., fuel for irrigation, dehulling, and drying) and material (e.g., fertilizer). These foods are therefore relatively emissionsintensive, compared with other plant-based foods, Drew says. Moreover, in a secondary analysis the researchers estimated that switching New Zealand's adult population to climate-friendly Even in New Zealand, where grazing is the norm for livestock production, beef had by far the highest estimated climate impact of all the foods assessed in this study.

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“…Reducing agricultural emissions is important if New Zealand's current emissions goals are to be reached, but how to target the agricultural sector requires careful consideration of multiple factors. As outlined in a working report by Kerr (2016), there are multiple reasons why agriculture could receive differential treatment. For example, people must have food to live, and food cannot be produced with zero emissions.…”

Section: Addressing New Zealand's Agricultural Emissionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Due to the relatively high organic content already in New Zealand soils by international standards, it is less of an opportunity here than in countries such as Australia and the USA. Afforestation offers a potentially profitable route through conversion of more marginal farm land into forests that can sequester large quantities of carbon and produce valuable fibre (Kerr, 2016).…”

Section: Carbon Offset Optionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mitigating Ruminant Methane: Exploring the Commercialisation of Technologies for Reducing Livestock Methane Emissions

Easter¹

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<p>Climate change is a global issue requiring unified action. Methane gas is a major component of greenhouse gas emissions contributing to global warming. This project is exploring the commercial potential of Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium (PGgRc) developed technologies designed to mitigate the largest source of agricultural methane emissions. These technologies are methane vaccines and inhibitors targeting emissions from enteric fermentation in ruminant livestock. The two technologies share functional aspects but require different administration and upkeep. As novel technologies designed for a developing market the commercial potential of PGgRc’s methane vaccines and inhibitors is uncertain. To validate the potential methane mitigation products this project focuses on farmer adoption and interaction with the technologies. Interviews with farmers around New Zealand have been used to identify the strengths and weaknesses of methane vaccines and inhibitors from the perspective of the end user. A thematic analysis of the transcribed data highlighted various concerns among the participating farmers and provides a map of areas needing further investigation when moving forward with developing the technologies. Of key importance was the value methane vaccines and inhibitors offered the participants. Currently, methane mitigation offers no financial benefits to participants and good feelings about acting against climate change are not substantial enough to mitigate purchase and administration costs. There is potential that using PGgRc’s methane vaccines and inhibitors could improve livestock productivity, but it is yet to be verified based on current testing and development. Establishing that using the technologies leads to increased live weight gain or milk and wool production could provide profitability benefits that farmers would value. This hinges on any benefits providing substantial enough gains to the farmer to offset the purchase and administration costs. If no productivity benefits are identified government regulations creating a methane cost or subsidising the technologies could be necessary for methane vaccines and inhibitors to have value within the agricultural sector. Alternatively, if consumer purchasing behaviour shifts in favour of low emissions products the agricultural sector will need to shift production methods to remain competitive in the new market environment. PGgRc aims to employ a licensing business model using the methane vaccine and inhibitor IP they possess. Partnering with an experienced company would provide PGgRc with the market knowledge and manufacturing capabilities producing their technologies requires. As part of their development strategy they aim to develop their technology to a proof of concept stage before forming any production partnerships. This project highlights the critical factors for successfully commercialising PGgRc’s technologies. It is designed to guide the continued development of the methane mitigation technologies and help shape PGgRc’s market approach.</p>

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Agricultural Emissions Mitigation in New Zealand: Answers to Questions from the Parliamentary Commisioner for the Environment

Abstract: Macey. I am grateful to Gemma Freeman for editing help. All opinions expressed are my own and I am responsible for all errors and omissions.

Cited by 19 publications

References 43 publications

Healthy and Climate-Friendly Eating Patterns in the New Zealand Context

Healthy and Climate-Friendly Eating Patterns in the New Zealand Context

Diet Impacts on Climate and Health: New Zealand’s Experience

Mitigating Ruminant Methane: Exploring the Commercialisation of Technologies for Reducing Livestock Methane Emissions

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