Dr Tim Mackle on climate change: NZ not in this by ourselves

DairyNZ chief executive, Dr Tim Mackle. Photo / Supplied

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While the IPCC report shows why it's vital New Zealand keeps producing the world's lowest-emissions milk, it's also important to look at the big picture, DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle says.

Global greenhouse gas emissions were a people problem, not a livestock problem, Mackle told The Country's Jamie Mackay.

"If you look at CO2 itself, that is responsible for three-quarters of the global emissions – that's driven by people – and that's the gas that hangs around for over 1000 years."

New Zealand's dairy sector still had to play its part, but it was important to remember climate change was a worldwide issue, Mackle said.

"Absolutely, we've got to run at this from a food and fibre point of view – but I'd hate for New Zealand to think that's how we're going to solve the problem globally - because it ain't."

Global methane was at 17 per cent, and around 7 per cent of that came from livestock methane, "so we're not going to solve the issue just by taking meat and dairy out of the diet," Mackle said.

"Let's keep some perspective on it, is what I'd argue."

The IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) summarises the latest climate change science from around the world.

It outlines recommendations, including that more must be done to meet the global target of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The report endorses New Zealand's split gas approach which recognises the difference between biogenic methane and long-lived gases, and that biogenic methane does not need to be reduced to net zero.

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It also recognises New Zealand showed leadership in its split gas approach, Mackle said in a statement.

"New Zealand is world-leading by legislating a split gas target in the Zero Carbon Act. This recognises methane is a short-lived gas and requires a different target to the long-lived carbon dioxide."

DairyNZ, along with other partners, was investing millions in researching options, such as a methanogen vaccine and inhibitors, selective breeding of low methane animals, low methane forages, genetics research, reducing nitrous oxide and leaching, and technology uptake.

Investing in new technology was essential to combat climate change, Mackle told Mackay.

"The good thing is we are still the world's most efficient dairy producers, but we can build on that, and we need technology for that."

"We're looking at the science right now and we're talking with Government science providers to shape up a new plan to say, how do we up the ante around this stuff?"

Mackle wanted to remind Kiwis to keep looking at climate change as a global issue, rather than a local one.

"New Zealand is 0.17 per cent of total emissions and dairy is 0.039 per cent on a world scale."

"What concerns me is that we don't get overly carried away because we think we're going to stop the sea level rise in Takapuna beach, because New Zealand is not [in this] by ourselves."