Govt urged to reduce ETS units
The Climate Change Commission wants the new Government to reduce NZ Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction volumes as son as possible.
A proposal to better manage carbon farming could see plantings of exotic forests like radiata pine excluded from the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).
Forestry Minister Stuart Nash and Climate Change Minister James Shaw recently released a public discussion document to better manage afforestation.
“The Government wants to encourage afforestation to help meet our climate change targets, offset carbon emissions, and also to help farmers, landowners and investors diversify their income streams,” Nash says.
“We want to balance the risks created by new permanent exotic forests which are not intended for harvest. We have a window to build safeguards into the system, prior to a new ETS framework coming into force on 1 January 2023.”
From 2023, under current rules, a new permanent forest category of the ETS would allow both exotic and indigenous forests to be registered in the ETS and earn New Zealand Units (NZU). The NZU price has more than doubled over the past year, from around $35 in late 2020 to over $80 in February 2022.
However, the Government is a now proposing to exclude exotic species from the permanent forest category.
“We want to encourage the right tree, in the right place, for the right reason. We intend to balance the need for afforestation with wider needs of local communities, regional economies and the environment,” Nash says.
“Permanent exotic forests like radiata pine have potential environmental and ecological risks and a relatively short lifespan compared to well-managed mixed indigenous forests.”
Nash says later in the year, the Government will consult on proposals which could give local councils more powers to decide under the Resource Management Act where exotic forests are planted.
Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.
Shipping disruption caused by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea has so far not impacted fertiliser prices or supply on farm.
The opportunity to spend more time on farm while providing a dedicated service for shareholders attracted new environmental manager Ben Howden to work for Waimakariri Irrigation Limited (WIL).
Federated Farmers claims that the Otago Regional Council is charging ahead unnecessarily with piling more regulation on rural communities.
Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.
OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.
OPINION: A mate of yours truly wants to know why the beef schedule differential is now more than 45-50 cents…
OPINION: Your canine crusader understands that MPI were recently in front of the Parliamentary Primary Sector Select Committee for an…