Agriculture highly exposed to climate change

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Opinion

Re: Farmers facing high inflation, May 31 story.

It is great that Beef and Lamb NZ CEO Sam McIvor confirms “New Zealand sheep and beef farmers are playing their part to address climate change, improving our waterways, and protecting New Zealand’s biodiversity”.

He also says “We are asking for urgent changes to flawed Government policies and poorly crafted rules”.

As stated in the article, on-farm inflation rates for sheep and beef farmers are the highest in 40 years.

Despite their plight, the Government putting the brakes on its raft of environmental policy changes is not the answer — simply because our country’s methods of farming are Aotearoa/NZ’s greatest contributor to climate change.

Climate change is an increasingly important concern, both globally and in Aotearoa New Zealand. Changes are already being felt in the natural environment, the economy, and communities.

The agricultural sector faces risks both from a changing climate, as well as through efforts to reduce its contribution to climate change by reducing its greenhouse gas emissions.

Global warming is about to breach the 1.5°C threshold and we can expect consequences such as extreme temperatures and increases in the frequency and intensity of precipitation.

We can expect more floods, droughts and other extreme weather events; sea-level rise; loss of coastal land; loss of species; an increase in ocean acidity; and issues with food and fresh water as a result.

In truth, it is in agriculture, particularly in dairy, beef and lamb production, that we can make the most significant difference towards meeting our climate change commitments.

Bob Hughes