A trans-Tasman test on agricultual GHG emissions

Apparently the new President of Federated Farmers, Bruce Wills (no relation) intends to be less confrontational and more collaborative than his predecessors when engaging with the environmental concerns of 'urban' New Zealanders. Bruce Wills also says he has a strong interest in the environment.

However, Wills thinks that the lesson of the Australian carbon pricing scheme, announced last Sunday, is that New Zealand should not tax livestock emissions. Agriculture is due to enter the NZ Emissions Trading Scheme on 1 July 2015.

Here is a chart for Bruce which explains why Australia can leave agriculture out of its carbon price scheme and also why New Zealand can't.



Thats right. In 2009, agricultural GHG emissions were 48% of New Zealand's GHG emissions, and 16% of Australia's emissions.