'Fiddling' with a crisis: Greenhouse gas emissions drop 7 per cent in 11 years in Hawke's Bay

The Hawke's Bay agriculture sector has been credited with helping reduce the region's greenhouse gas emissions. Photo / File

Hawke's Bay's greenhouse gas emissions have dropped in the past decade, thanks largely to improvements in agriculture.

But the rate of reduction isn't nearly enough to ward off a crisis, critics say.

Hawke's Bay decreased its greenhouse gas emissions by 7.1 per cent from 2007 to 2018, according to a Stats NZ report released on Thursday.

That's equivalent to a reduction of 264 kilotonnes of CO2 a year in industries, but household pollution went up by 27 kilotonnes.

Agriculture accounts for 80 per cent of the region's emissions, and has decreased by 10.5 per cent in the same time frame.

Hawke's Bay Regional Council chief executive James Palmer said the statistics would enable council to build a clear picture of climate change in the region.

"Hawke's Bay is not a big contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand terms, but this information helps us as we build a clear picture of climate change and what we can and should do in our region to reduce its effects," he said.

Palmer said the decrease in agriculture emissions reflects the work of the region's rural and primary production sector improving their management practices.

Hawke's Bay's household emissions are nine times less than industrial emissions, but have grown by 9.4 per cent since 2007, while industrial emissions have reduced by 8.7 per cent since 2007.

Extinction Rebellion Hawke's Bay spokesmna Bruce Bisset said a 7.1 per cent reduction is now the minimum required for each and every year in order to meet the Government's target of zero CO2 emissions by 2050.

"As nice as it is that we have had a decrease in the last decade or so, we have to do what we did in that time, but do it every year from now on," he said.

"The long and short of it is that we are still fiddling. We haven't got to grips with the fact that this is a crisis.

"We are already in a pressure cooker situation and unless we get deadly serious about this then this will be deadly."

Federated Farmers Hawke's Bay president Jim Galloway said efficient farming can help in further reducing emissions. Photo / File

Federated Farmers Hawke's Bay President Jim Galloway said farming efficiency can continue to play a role in further reducing emissions.

"Any reduction is a good thing. Just shows that efficient farming is the way we are going to get results in carbon emissions," he said.

Galloway said "farming basics" including not wasting grass and diesel, direct drilling and getting the most out of what you're growing are simple wins to help the cause.

"If we're more efficient in everything we do and the way we produce products, that's where gains can be made," he added.

Palmer said the data will help develop the HBRC's climate change plan, which already covers coastal hazards strategy, tree planting and erosion control, energy use, providing public transport and cycleways and measuring and reducing our corporate footprint.

"Our goal is about reaching net zero emissions by 2050, but that means offsetting as well as decreasing, not no greenhouse gas emissions.

"Agriculture contributes most to our emissions, so the reductions achieved in that sector with good management practices is the main reason why Hawke's Bay's emissions have reduced, while the changes in other sectors nibble at the edges due to their smaller contributions to the whole."

Auckland provided the largest percentage change in industry emissions (down 16 per cent), which was driven by electricity, gas, water, while Canterbury saw an increase of 12 per cent. Waikato is the country's biggest polluter overall.