Fossil Fuel Crusade
OPINION: The global crusade against fossil fuel is gaining momentum in some regions.
The Government has launched its new Climate Strategy, which it says is a comprehensive and ambitious plan to reduce the impact of climate change and prepare for its future effects.
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says the strategy is built on five core pillars, all underscoring the Government's commitment to delivering its climate change goals.
The pillars are:
“Households, businesses, and our economy are already feeling the effects of climate change,” Watts says. “We have seen what severe weather can do to infrastructure and property, and how that disrupts our supply chains and communities.”
“Our Government has committed to meeting our climate change targets - reducing net emissions is one of the nine Government targets to achieve better results from the public service,” he adds.
The Government will soon be consulting on the Emissions Reduction Plan for the period 2026-2030. This will form the basis for the Government's response to reduce New Zealand’s emissions in line with the country’s targets.
“The Emissions Reduction Plan will set out policy proposals across the five pillars and focus on the largest drivers of emissions in New Zealand – energy, transport, agriculture, and waste sectors,” Watts says.
A verbal stoush has broken out between Federated Farmers and a new group that claims to be fighting against cheaper imports that undermine NZ farmers.
According to the latest ANZ Agri Focus report, energy-intensive and domestically-focused sectors currently bear the brunt of rising fuel, fertiliser and freight costs.
Having gone through a troublesome “divorce” from its association and part ownership of AGCO, Indian manufacturer TAFE is said to be determined to be seen as a modern business rather than just another tractor maker from the developing world.
Two long-standing New Zealand agricultural businesses are coming together to strengthen innovation, local manufacturing capability, and access to essential farm inputs for farmers across the country.
A new farmer-led programme aimed at bringing young people into dairy farming is under way in Waikato and Bay of Plenty.
The Government has announced changes to stock exclusion regulations which it claims will cut unnecessary costs and inflexible rules while maintaining environmental protections.

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