Wednesday, 15 April 2020 14:46

Sheep and beef GHGs overstated

Written by  Peter Burke
Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s Jeremy Baker. Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s Jeremy Baker.

New research indicates NZ’s sheep and beef greenhouse gas emissions have been overstated.

AgResearch has developed a more accurate calculation of the nitrous oxide emissions from sheep, beef and dairy production, which shows that nitrous oxide emissions are two thirds and one third respectively lower than previously thought.  

The new nitrous oxide measurement will see total sheep emissions (including methane and nitrous oxide emissions) around 10.6 % lower than previously reported. Beef cattle will be down by 5% and dairy cattle by 1.4%.

The improvement in the calculation of emissions results in a 4.4% reduction in the agriculture sector’s overall reported emissions for 2017, and a 2.1% decrease in New Zealand’s overall reported emissions. 

This new research reveals that livestock’s overall contribution to New Zealand’s greenhouse emissions is lower than previously calculated.  

Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s Jeremy Baker says the research highlights how understanding about livestock’s contribution to warming is continuing to evolve, and the importance of continuing to invest in science in these areas. 

“The agricultural sector is committed to playing its part in tackling the challenge of climate change, and the New Zealand sheep and beef sector has already reduced its overall greenhouse gas emissions by more than 32% since 1990, whilst maintaining similar levels of production,” he says.

More like this

The politics of climate change

OPINION: The Financial Times, a major international newspaper, featured New Zealand on its front page at the beginning of June. It wasn't for the right reasons.

Featured

Australia develops first local mRNA FMD vaccine

Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.

NZ household food waste falls again

Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.

Editorial: No joking matter

OPINION: Sir Lockwood Smith has clearly and succinctly defined what academic freedom is all about, the boundaries around it and the responsibility that goes with this privilege.

National

Machinery & Products

Tech might take time

Agritech Unleashed – a one-day event held recently at Mystery Creek, near Hamilton – focused on technology as an ‘enabler’…

John Deere acquires GUSS Automation

John Deere has announced the full acquisition of GUSS Automation, LLC, a globally recognised leader in supervised high-value crop autonomy,…

Fencing excellence celebrated

The Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ) celebrated the best of the best at the 2025 Fencing Industry Awards,…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

A step too far

OPINION: For years, the ironically named Dr Mike Joy has used his position at Victoria University to wage an activist-style…

Save us from SAFE

OPINION: A mate of yours truly has had an absolute gutsful of the activist group SAFE.

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter