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Climate Change Initiative Newsletter
May 2002 (23)
Table of Contents
Climate Change Initiative
1. Discussing National GHG Inventory Issues
Upcoming Events
International conference “Investment and Climate Change: Opportunities for Ukraine”
Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine and the Climate Change Initiative are happy to announce the international investment conference that will take place in Kyiv on July 10-11, 2002. The Conference main target is attracting investments to climate change mitigation activities in Ukraine. For more information on the event please see the CCI special announcement on the web site.
U.s. Climate change activity
2. Climate Change Technical Solutions become à higher priority
3. One Cleaner Year of Entergy
4. Public Health Concerns Raise as the Global Climate Changes
5. Changing Forest Ownership Trends in the US
6. Idle Engines contribute e to global warming
International climate change news
7. EU member states ratified Kyoto protocol
8. More suggestions for the EU emissions trading scheme
9. The World Bank and the Netherlands Partnership to Fund Emissions Reduction Projects
10. Russian President Wants to Hear All about Kyoto prospects
11. Japan Gets Close to Kyoto Protocol Ratification
12. Price forecast for the UK emissions trading scheme
13. Clean Cars from Rental Firm
14. Emissions trading simulations for Europe and the Nordic Region
15. A power plant in Hungary Revived Due to Biomass Energy
16. Methane – à GHG of the Largest Share for New Zealand
Climate Change Initiative
1. Discussing National GHG Inventory Issues
On May 17, 2002, the Climate Change Initiative organized à meeting for implementers of inventory projects in Ukraine. The meeting was à joint effort of the U.s. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.s. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) aimed at bringing together international and local experts and Ukrainian government officials to discuss the most recent developments in the greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory work in Ukraine. The meeting participants addressed à number of issues including sectoral and regional inventories and issues relating to developing à national GHG emission inventory system.
Michael Mondshine representing the CCI gave an overview of the existing procedures and methods used for conducting the national inventory for 1990 through 1998. The presenter emphasized that if Ukraine intends to stay in compliance with the UNFCCC requirements it needs to expeditiously complete the national inventory for 1999 and 2000. Towards this end, Mr. Mondshine recommended that an updated inventory be prepared using the same basic methods employed for the earlier 1990 through 1998 edition of the Ukrainian inventory, augmented by recent sectoral inventories in the power sector prepared by the CCI, and the coal mine sector completed by the Partners for Energy and Environmental Reforms (PEER).
Mr. Georgiy Panchenko of ARENA-ECO gave à presentation on the development of GHG emission inventory in the district-heating sector of Ukraine. The project was sponsored by the USEPA and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Mr. Panchenko also addressed the issues relating to the development of à national GHG emission inventory system. Dr. Ihor Volchyn of the Center for Coal Energy Technologies presented the major results of the 2000 GHG emission inventory for the power of Ukraine. The 2000 power sector GHG emission inventory was conducted and completed by the Center for Coal Energy Technologies under à contract with the CCI. This work was part of the CCI broader task on development of methodologies for managing à national climate change program. Mr. Alexander Filippov of PEER presented the outcomes of the development of GHG emission inventory in the coal sector of Ukraine that was sponsored by the USEPA.
The seminar participants also discussed regional GHG emission inventory projects. Olga Gassan-zade of the Center for Clean Air Policy gave à presentation on the progress in conducting GHG emission inventories in the Lviv and Donetsk oblasts of Ukraine. The projects are correspondingly sponsored by the USEPA and USAID (through its Ecolinks Program). Iryna Trofimova of the Canada-ukraine Environmental Partnership Program summarized the results of à year and à half long project sponsored by the Canadian International Development Agency. The project was aimed at providing recommendations on the development of à national GHG emission inventory system.
The meeting participants provided comments on specific aspects of the projects
including recommendations on necessary actions to be taken by the Ukrainian
government for developing its national GHG emission inventory system.
2. Climate Change Technical Solutions become à higher priority
Future international efforts to tackle global warming will depend more upon finding technical and economic solutions than further scientific investigation, the main US negotiator on climate change said early May.
Harlan Watson, addressing à London press conference, defended the successful Us-backed move last month to replace the outspoken chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Robert Watson.
Mr Watson, à US atmospheric physicist widely seen as an effective advocate of the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, was replaced as chairman by Rajenda Pachauri, Indian economist and engineer.
Responding to criticisms of the move by scientists and environmental groups, Mr Watson said Mr Pachauriús appointment would not only encourage further engagement by developing countries, but was more appropriate to future talks that would focus on technical solutions.
"In the next round, it will not be science that will drive negotiations. It is going to be on more concrete action and how we get from here to there, particularly in developing countries."
However, the US negotiator said "à lot of controversy" still surrounded the causes of global warming and the extent to which natural phenomena or the burning of fossil fuels was responsible. The US accepted the IPCC provided the best science on the subject and agreed human activity was undoubtedly à factor, but there was "Considerable uncertainty" over how much the mankind was responsible, he said. Mr Watson defended the effectiveness of the US strategy to combat global warming announced in February by President George W. Bush. The policy is aimed at using voluntary measures to encourage industry to reduce emissions as à proportion of economic output.
US policy could mean the new nuclear power stations being approved by the end of the decade, once environmental and safety concerns had been satisfied, he said.
(by John Mason, Financial Times, May 13)
3. One Cleaner Year of Entergy
Entergy Corporation, one of the nationús leading electricity providers, marked the one-year anniversary of its groundbreaking voluntary pledge to stabilize emissions of carbon dioxide.
On May 3, 2001, Entergy became the first U.s. electric power company to establish à stabilization target for its power plant CO2 emissions. The company pledged that it would: -- Stabilize CO2 emissions levels from its domestic power plants at year 2000 levels through 2005. -- Establish à $25 million Environmental Initiatives Fund to finance internal and external emission reduction projects. -- Document activities and report annually on progress, and employ an independent third-party organization to verify measurement of Entergyús CO2 emissions. -- Work cooperatively with Environmental Defense, The Partnership for Climate Action, The Pew Center on Global Climate Change and other organizations committed to responsible action on global warming.
During the last year, Entergy developed and implemented à process for identifying and approving CO2 emission reduction projects to be supported by the Environmental Initiatives Fund. The company defined two project categories for achieving success: internal projects at company facilities and external emissions offset projects that achieve emissions reductions outside Entergyús operating system.
As of today, 26 internal greenhouse gas reduction projects that are forecast to reduce approximately 1.1 million tons of CO2-equivalent emissions have been completed or are in progress at Entergy facilities and operations.
Externally, Entergy has initiated 12 projects to reduce emissions from sources that are not owned or operated by the company. The external offset projects now in progress are forecast to reduce approximately 780,000 tons of CO2-equivalent emissions by 2005.
Together, the projects being undertaken to date as part of the stabilization commitment represent an investment of about $11 million at nine different power plants and in seven states and four countries.
"Businesses have the moral obligation to be responsible stewards of the environment", said J. Wayne Leonard, Entergyús chief executive officer. “Entergyús program is demonstrating that companies can do the right thing while remaining competitive and profitable."
4. Public Health Concerns Raise as the Global Climate Changes
Climate change could have à far-reaching impact on health patterns in the United States, according to à recent assessment by à broad coalition of scientists from academia, government and private industry.
The evaluation, published in the May 2001 issue of the Journal of Environmental Health Perspectives, identifies and examines five key health problems that could be influenced by global climate change. Those problems include heat-related illness and death, health effects related to extreme weather events, health effects related to air pollution, water-borne and food-borne diseases, and vector-borne and rodent-borne diseases.
"This assessment is not one of doom and gloom, but does warrant concern within the public health community", said co-chairman of the report Jonathan Patz, an assistant professor of environmental health sciences at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. According to the report, those people who face the highest health risk from climate change include the poor, the elderly, children and people with weak immune systems.
In order to reverse that threat, the report recommends improving the nationús public health infrastructure and increasing research efforts to fill crucial knowledge gaps about the connections between climate and health.
(by Margot Higgins, ENN)
5. Changing Forest Ownership Trends in the US
Ownership of the vast U.s. timberlands is moving from traditional forest products companies to investment groups that hope to make money on their holdings - and that could have big consequences, not just for the lumber industry and its investors, but for local economies and ecosystems around the country.
"Fifteen million acres has changed hands in the last four years. Thatús à big structural change for our industry", said Clutter, à professor at the University of Georgiaús Warnell School of Forest Resources and author of an upcoming study about changing trends in forest ownership.
Most of it is being snapped up by timber investment management organizations, or Timos, which invest money for institutional investors and wealthy individuals looking to diversify their portfolios. That marks à major shift from the forest products companies who own land to supply their mills.
Conservationists are watching the sales closely, trying to monitor the long-term impact of the trend. The industryús big land sale has created opportunities for preservationists to buy big tracts - often in partnership with Timos. But environmentalists are concerned about parcels being sold for development.
So far, that has not happened much, and some of the investors have supported environmental aims by putting conservation restrictions on the land. In the meantime, they are also reaping financial benefits.
"There are some fabulous land managers out there, but others are more focused on land speculation than on timber management", Said Bill Ginn, director of the Nature Conservancyús northern forest program. Conservationists worry that Timos will sell their land in smaller parcels. "If forestlands get smaller in size, theyúre less likely to be viable economically and more likely to be converted to non-timber uses like development", said Ginn.
(by Lauren Weber, REUTERS, May 22)
6. Idle Engines contribute e to global warming
Cars are à significant contributor to climate change. Gas fumes contribute to 70 percent of the smog in the United States, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Letting your car idle contributes significantly to greenhouse gases, and itús hard on the engine too.
Since engines burn more fuel at colder temperatures and à car stays colder longer when it is idling, warming up your car for more than à couple of minutes is à great waste.
Researchers in the United States are attempting to curb pollution from the moment you turn the ignition key, according to à study in New Scientist.
Cars donút burn gas until it has been vaporized, the researchers explain. A large portion of the gas used by à cold engine remains in liquid form and is emitted from the exhaust pipe without being burned. This unused fuel combines with nitrogen to create ozone, one of the major contributors to smog and global warming.
To help reduce car pollution, researchers from Ford Motor Co. and the University of Texas have developed à device that distills gasoline. The cold-friendly fuel is stored in à separate reservoir for use on ignition. "The engine will behave as if itús fully warmed up, even when it isnút", said Rudy Stanglmaier of the Universityús Southwest Research Institute.
Other car manufacturers are taking different approaches to the problem of idling engines. Toyotaús Prius, one of two gas-electric cars available now on the market, boasts à built-in device that turns off the engine after it has been running for more than à couple of minutes.
(by By Margot Higgins, ENN)
International climate change news
7. EU member states ratified Kyoto protocol
All 15 European Union states have ratified the Kyoto protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The ceremony took place at the United Nations headquarters in New York, where representatives from all 15 nations and the European Commission handed the required papers to the UN chief legal counsel.
The ratifications mean that the number of parties to the protocol is now well past the threshold of 55 needed to grant it legal status. In order to reach the 55% of emissions requirement and given the US position, the EU leads à diplomatic offensive to ensure countries such as Russia, Japan and Canada stick with Kyoto.
European commissioner for the environment Margot Wallstrom praised the ratification as "an historic moment for global efforts to combat climate change". Austria, Britain, Denmark, Germany and Luxembourg are the five countries in the EU who must make the biggest cuts. "All countries have to act, but the industrialised world has to take the lead."
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan also welcomed the move, saying it was "Good news for the entire world", French news agency AFP reported. "[It is] à sound and innovative response to à truly global threat affecting rich and poor countries alike."
Now, with success in New York, green campaigners would like to see Kyoto ratified by the World Summit on Sustainable Development later this year.
(BBC, May 31)
8. More suggestions for the EU emissions trading scheme
On 23 April, the European Parliamentús Environment Committee discussed the report on emissions trading in the EU that suggest changes to the allocation system of emission allowances.
In October 2001, the Commission presented à proposal for à framework directive on greenhouse gas emissions trading within the European Community. The UK, Denmark and the Netherlands have already started pilot projects on emissions trading. On 23 April, the European Parliamentús Environment Committee debated à draft report on the EU emissions trading scheme. The rapporteur, Jorge Moreira da Silva (Portugal-epp/ed), focused mainly on the allocation of allowances.
The Commission proposed à system where the levels of tradable emissions would be set by the EU. Moreira da Silva, however, suggests that each Member State should set the level, in accordance with à set calculation system, which allows for à margin to avoid overallocation. Instead of the free allowances allocation in the first round in 2005 the report suggests that 70% of allowances should be allocated for free, and the remaining 30% to be auctioned. For the following period from 2008, the Commission states it will decide on à method for allocation while Moreira da Silva demands that it should be made clear now that from 2008 all allowances will be auctioned. The revenues from the auctions should go back to industry in accordance with agreed environmental criteria.
The business world says that emissions trading if implemented, as widely and as early as possible, will help reduce the costs of complying with targets for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. However, it is desirable that all six greenhouse gases are covered but the trading program.
The environmental organisation WWF agrees that trading is à positive method to curb emissions. Some of the concerns, however include à likely disagreement between the different European pilot schemes and upcoming Eu-system, and à lack of clear politically set targets for emission reductions.
The European Parliamentús plenary is expected to give its opinion (first reading) on the draft directive on emission trading in July 2002.
(Euroactiv, April 25)
9. The World Bank and the Netherlands Partnership to Fund Emissions Reduction Projects
The IBRD and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), both members of the World Bank Group, announced today agreements with the Netherlands establishing two facilities to purchase greenhouse gas emission (GHG) reduction credits. The IBRD and IFC Facilities, signed with the Netherlands' Ministry of Environment, Housing and Spatial Planning (VROM), will support projects in developing countries in exchange for emission credits under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) established by the Kyoto Protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The IBRD Facility has à target of placing up to 70 million Euros in the first-two year period, which will lead to emission reductions of approximately 16 million metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent. The reductions will be obtained due to the purchase of emission reduction credits for renewable energy, energy efficiency, and fuel switching activities, but not for afforestation and reforestation. The IFC Facility will place up to 44 million Euros in projects over the next three years. Eligible projects will include investments in renewable energy, such as wind and biomass power, energy efficiency improvements, recovery and utilization of methane from waste landfills, and switching of fuels to less carbon-intensive sources. IFC, the private sector development arm of the World Bank Group, will focus exclusively on transactions in the private sector.
The World Bank Group has played à pioneering role in developing the market for emission reduction credits through the Prototype Carbon Fund (PCF). A public- private partnership of six governments and 17 private sector companies, the PCF will purchase Us$145 million of emission reduction credits from projects in developing countries and economies in transition. Experience from the 30 projects being prepared in the PCF shows that the most powerful capacity- building experience for countries wishing to benefit from the CDM is to experience the first commercial transaction to achieve and sell emission reduction credits in compliance with the Kyoto Protocol.
PCF experience also shows that it is difficult to engage the private sector in investment in the learning-by-doing required to fully comply with the Kyoto Protocol/cdm across the large range of technologies and processes that can simultaneously offer cost-effective emission reductions and support environmentally and socially sustainable development locally.
Establishing the knowledge base for market development through these 'First-of- a-kind' transactions and reducing the knowledge and information entry barriers for the private sector, is another point of strategic convergence between the Netherlands and the World Bank Group.
(Hoover’s, May 2)
10. Russian President Wants to Hear All about Kyoto prospects
Moscow: President Vladimir Putin has issued instructions to the cabinet of ministers to launch preparations for an international conference on the protection of the environment planned for 2003.
If we want the conference to be well-organized, preparations should be launched immediately, Putin said, adding that the forum was scheduled for spring and summer 2003. The subject of environmental protection is closely connected with Russia' s accession to the Kyoto Protocol, Putin said, The protocol envisages greenhouse emission cuts by 5.2 per cent in 2008-2012 against the 1990 level.
President Putin urged experts to consider all "The pros and cons" of accession to the Kyoto Protocol. Not only supporters of the Kyoto Protocol, but those who expressed criticism should make themselves heard by the government, Putin said. The process of ratifying the Kyoto Protocol has been launched, but this is à long process and all opinions should be taken into account in order to avoid negative consequences to the economy and at the same time tackle the tasks of environmental protection, the president said.
(BBC, May 6)
11. Japan Gets Close to Kyoto Protocol Ratification
TOKYO- Japan took à major step toward ratifying the Kyoto Protocol for greenhouse gas cuts when the lower house of Parliament approved the pact.
The 1997 agreement, which aims to counter global warming, was unanimously endorsed, said Yasue Endo, à spokeswoman for the more powerful of Parliamentús two chambers.
The agreement is set to move onto the upper house, though that chamberús vote is purely ceremonial as eventual ratification would be unaffected even if the protocol were rejected.
The timing of the upper house vote was uncertain as deliberations on the accord were set to begin later, according to the Environment Ministry.
As à final step, the Cabinet of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will then vote on it before ratification is officially approved.
(Kyodo News, May 17)
12. Price forecast for the UK emissions trading scheme
On March 13, the UK Government concluded its auction of incentive money for its emissions trading scheme (ETS). In total, 34 companies bid successfully in the auction and have taken on emission caps. The clearing price in the auction, 53 GBP per tonne of CO2 equivalent emissions (Gbp/tco2e), translates to an average market price of about 15-17 Gbp/ tco2e. However, in the aftermath of the auction, allowances have traded at much lower prices.
In à recent analysis, Point Carbon has made an attempt at forecasting where UK prices could go from here, using à rough demand-supply model as the point of departure. In conclusion, Point Carbon finds it likely that prices will stay at the current level, or possibly decrease. Potential over-investments in projects at an early stage and scant demand from the ‘unit’ sector are among the key factors that may contribute to low prices.
On the other hand, prices may be higher if the targets for the absolute sector are more ambitious than reflected in the simulations; i.e., higher marginal abatement costs or higher baseline emissions. Moreover, prices might increase if the UK ETS is succeeded by à trading scheme with higher prices, which could make it attractive to bank allowances from 2006 to succeeding budget periods.
Participants in the UK trading scheme will be able to use credits from approved Uk-based emission reduction projects to facilitate compliance with their targets. The Government has also signalled that it is their intention that firms should be able to use credits from international projects (i.e., CDM and/or JI) to help them meet their obligations. So far, the process of working out the necessary rules and guidelines for the use of such credits has not been concluded.
There is à risk that projects could have à strong impact on markets and prices. Timing is important in this regard. For instance, à project that comes on stream in 2003 could produce twice as many credits as à project that generates credits from 2005. Moreover, if many and/or large projects come on stream in early 2003, this could bring prices to à level far lower than today’s. The risk that supply of project-based credits will bring prices down seems to be largest for UK projects.
(Pontcarbon, May 2)
13. Clean Cars from Rental Firm
Avis Europe, one of Europe’s leading car hire firms, with over eight million customers in 112 countries, has announced that it is to offer its customers the option of à carbon neutral hire package, expected to result in the offsetting of 32,510 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Avis UK has already been working with carbon-offset company, Future Forests, for three years, planting native trees to offset the carbon dioxide emissions produced by its operation. The company has also committed to planting one tree for every car on its UK fleet, and has increased its number of smaller vehicles in order to reduce levels of fuel consumption and emissions. In the first year of the scheme, Avis UK planted à total of 18,000 trees. On top of this, the company has committed to à year-on-year reduction in carbon dioxide from 2003 onwards.
However, this latest move covers the whole of Avis’ European network for online bookings. Avis will be running à promotion for two months, in which customers booking their car hire online will be informed that the carbon emissions resulting from their use of the vehicle will be offset through tree plantings. Then, from June onwards, customers will be given the option of making their booking carbon neutral, for which they will have to pay an average cost of only €1.6, based on à five day rental with 765km travelled.
“Having worked with Future Forests for three years, we have seen the value of tackling global warming", said Chief Executive of Avis Europe, Mark Mccafferty. “We are the first in the travel industry to make these commitments and hope that between our own behaviour and our customer and staff programmes that we can make an impact on global warming, and encourage others to follow suit.”
The organisation also conducts regular inspections of all tree planting sites across the UK, USA, Mexico and India. “I commend Avis Europe for taking ownership of its greenhouse gas emissions, and inviting its staff, suppliers, and customers to do the same", said Future Forests Chief Executive Jonathan Shopley. “Mass action on this scale can make à significant difference to the issue of global warming. Automotive manufacturers will accelerate their plans to develop low/no carbon technologies; staff motivation to improve energy efficiency will increase because people are empowered when they can take positive action; and customers have the choice of choosing à responsible supplier, and of aligning their own lifestyles with à carbon neutral future. In this way, small meaningful actions by many add up to serious progress towards à more sustainable transport sector.”
According to Future Forests, both the European Environment Commissioner Margot Wallström and UK Energy Minister Elliot Morley have welcomed the initiative.
(Edie weekly, April 19)
14. Emissions trading simulations for Europe and the Nordic Region
Carbonsim, one of the worldús leading developers of greenhouse gas emissions trading platforms and software, will roll out à series of on-line greenhouse gas emissions trading simulations in Europe and the Nordic Region starting on 28th May 2002.
The Carbonsim trading simulations are sophisticated and realistic. They give participants à practical insight into the operation of any future European or Nordic emissions trading regime, as well as the opportunity to evaluate the impact of different trading rules on real business scenarios and to experience the dynamics of à regional carbon market.
The Carbonsim team has been involved in à number of successful on-line emissions trading already.
The trading software is installed on à secure internet site and during the trading session is accessed by up to 100 participants at à time. Participants log on to the site on the specified day, and trade in emission allowances as à means of meeting hypothetical emission reduction targets. The simulations are designed to include both pre-commitment period and commitment period trading, and within each trading session participants can either trade on the spot market or trade in forward contracts and bank allowances for use in future years.
During the trading simulation participants will have to decide what strategies to take, and when, and how they should be implemented in response to à variety of government and market imposed policies. As in the real business world, the trading simulation introduces 'Wild cards' - unexpected developments and risks that companies and industries will have to account for in their business strategies.
The first European and Nordic trading simulations will be held on 28th and 30th May 2002. Both simulations will be based upon the proposed EU emissions trading directive. Organisations that wish to participate in one of Carbonsimús trading simulations can register on-line at www.carbonsim.com.
(Eyeforenergy, May 12)
15. A power plant in Hungary Revived Due to Biomass Energy
Budapest - The Borsod Power Plant, à subsidiary of Americaús AES, located in Kazincbarcika, Hungary, on the verge of the shutdown got à new USD 10 million biomass energy project that will save the plant. Switching over from coal burning to wood burning technology will also allow AES to trade carbon credits under the 1997 Kyoto protocol.
Currently, only 0.5% of Hungaryús energy is from renewable sources. However, this will have to rise to 8â_10% of total electricity output by the end of the decade, said AES project manager Istvan Aved. Government regulations on this are expected to be finalized in the coming months, he added. Under the new Electricity Act and related decrees now under preparation, all electricity consumers will pay à "Green fee" of HUF 0.17 per kwh.
Of the USD 10 million total investment, 30â_40% will be spent on the refurbishment of two boilers with fluidized bed technology. In another part of the investment, Alstrom will renovate à turbine at the plant. The investments are expected to improve the plantús energy efficiency from about 75% to 90%, said Aved.
In the first phase of the project, Borsod will fire à mixture of coal dust and sawdust in unmodified boilers. In 2002, 50 Gwh will be produced from renewable sources, reducing CO2 emissions by 30,000 tons. In 2003, the two renovated boilers burning only wood will be brought online with à capacity of 30 MW, raising the amount of renewable energy produced to 220 Gwh, reducing CO2 emissions by 130,000 tons. The total project should result in 650,000 tons of CO2 emissions saved.
AES Borsod expects à total of approximately EUR 2 million income from the sale of credits for its CO2 savings. The emissions sales, made possible by à letter of endorsement from Hungaryús economy and environmental ministries, will be realized in two tranches, the first in the near future in the initial phase of the project, and à second after 2008. Experts say this is à groundbreaking project in Hungary, not just from the standpoint of renewable energy. It will be among the first emissions trading transactions in the country.
One obstacle to Aesús long-term plans is the lack of à legal framework for "energy forests." Currently about 50,000 hectares are available to grow trees that will be used to fire the biomass plant. A long-term goal would be to increase this to as much as one million hectares, Aved said. Under EU requirements, Hungary will have to increase the proportion of forests in total land use from its current 18% to about 24%, by bringing excess farmland out of production.
(co2e, May 9)
16. Methane – à GHG of the Largest Share for New Zealand
BALCLUTHA -- Farmers in New Zealand could save millions of dollars à year if they joined the battle to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the form of methane. This was the take-home message from rumen biologist Dr Keith Joblin, of Agresearchús Grasslands Research Centre in Palmerston North, to the delegates at the Celebrating Sheep conference in Balclutha.
Together, methane and nitrous oxide from agriculture made up about 54 percent of the countryús greenhouse gas emissions, he said. In New Zealand, methane rather than carbon dioxide was the major greenhouse gas, and it would be necessary to reduce these emissions in line with the requirements of the Kyoto protocol. Half the ruminant methane in New Zealand came from sheep, and about 25 percent each from beef and dairy cattle.
"There will probably be à variety of solutions. "Whatever we come up with has to be safe, practical, leave no residues in meat or milk, be cost-effective and be applicable to grazing animals." With dairy, meat and wool products as major export earners, strategies were needed that did not depend on reducing animal numbers. Available options therefore included improving the animals' nutrition and intervening in the microbiological process in the rumen that produced the methane.
Moreover, incentives or support might not be needed for farmers to reduce methane. "About 6 percent of the available energy in forage is lost as methane. "Decreased methane emissions should lead to increases in milk and meat production, through improved animal performance." For example, if 50 percent of farmers changed to ryegrass (65 percent digestibility) over three months in summer/autumn, they would save $60 million à year.
"Farmers, the nation and the environment could all be winners".
(co2e.com, May 21)