Smith's Gross Error on Net 1990 GHG emissions

Speaking of gross Kyoto confusion, Nick Smith has leapt in to the media fray to defend his view of the Kyoto Protocol and to say that the Greens Russell Norman has got his numbers wrong in his press release.

Smith says Norman is wrong and "tricky, misleading and mischievous" to say that net 1990 emissions are 31 million tonnes less than gross 1990 emissions. Smith says the difference is 1 million tonnes.

Unfortunately it is Smith that has made the Gross error.

In the forth paragraph, Smith states:

New Zealand’s emissions in 1990 were 60.9 million tonnes gross and 61.7 million tonnes net under the agreed Kyoto Protocol rules.

Umm no, according to MfE (April 2010) New Zealand’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990–2008, Report No ME 1009, by the Ministry for the Environment, ISSN 1179-223X.

Page iv states "In 1990, New Zealand’s total (or gross) greenhouse gas emissions were 60,773.6 Gg carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e)". (60.7 million tonnes)

Page v states "In 1990, New Zealand’s net greenhouse gas emissions were 29,707.3 Gg CO2-e." (29.7 million tonnes, and certainly not 61.7 million tonnes as Smith's release states)

(NB Gg = gigagrams and 1000 Gg = 1 million tonnes)

Here's the chart again! Nick Smith, have a good look at where the green and blue lines leave the lefthand vertical axis!



Does the Minister's office even understand GHG inventory reports from the Ministry for the Environment?