A new government-funded Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre is part of the country’s lead stance on reducing emissions from agriculture, according to Prime Minister John Key.
Launching the Palmerston North-based centre with Agriculture Minister David Carter today, Mr Key said it would link both national and international partners on research into agricultural emissions.
New Zealand will also host the first meeting of the Global Research Alliance it proposed at Copenhagen. The alliance, which includes more than 20 countries, meets in April.
“Agriculture is our biggest export earner but it also generates nearly half of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions, so we have everything to gain by putting the might of our agricultural research industry a the forefront of this international initiative,” Mr Key said.
The government would invest $5 million a year over 10 years in the centre, from Primary Growth Partnership funds.
Mr Key said ultimately, the centre was a government commitment to innovation and would help to meet the country’s international obligations and support Kiwi farmers and growers to reduce emissions.
Comments and questions6
how ironic... In a week when the UN launched an inquiry into the IPCC proceedings, and the commission in the UK started the official hearings on the UEA climate lab emails, we hear in NZ with a great pomp open a centre devoted to what is quite probably irrelevant research.
10 year time frame seems right, as it takes this country about 10 years to catch up with most things in the world, from fashion to trends in IT and science.
Nats are proving they havn't a clue. With this kind of money up for grabs no wonder a few pin head academics love to cuddle Al Gores scam. Light a match everyone because Palmy like parliament is going to be emmitting it big time.
note fuel prices went up today. the word on the fuel and power street is that rises, on top of today, will be 12% to 15% across board due to ETS.
will english and key be offsetting that too?
AgResearch is grossly under funded and their scientists are hand tied to a moronic bidding process. I know I used to work there. But to get more production from reducing methane emissions is fine. To reduce global warming is just pathetic. You would have to roll your eyes at such pretence.
Perhaps our commentators above could engage their brains before their mouths: It is difficult to get long term science funding unless your proposal has something to do with Climate Change or the environment. Even if animal emissions arent done away with, other productive discoveries will be made on the back of this funding which will make the funding well spent.
Hey Emitting. Questions for you.
When you say climate change is this global warming or cooling?
Have you ever had to tell some they've are losing their jobs?
How would you explain to them that their jobs are been disolved because the government are imposing yet another business damaging tax, mid recession/depression - i.e the ETS for a problem called global warming?
Please advise how they should handle in becoming a causualty of this scam?
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