Hort Talk with Mike Chapman HorticultureNZ CEO

At the Mystery Creek Fieldays in June, the National Party announced its climate change policy stating it is taking a bipartisan approach based on the following five key principles: A pragmatic, science-based approach is needed to tackle climate change; innovation and technology will be crucial to meeting any target; get the incentives right to drive long-term changes rather than imposing short-term shocks; New Zealand must act, but never in isolation: climate change is a global issue that requires a global response; and the wider impacts on the economy – on jobs and incomes for New Zealanders must be considered.

In facing such a critical issue as climate change, a bipartisan approach is very much needed. This is not an issue for political point-scoring. All parties need to unite to ensure NZ makes the best possible response to climate change. But as noted by the National Party, this should be as part of the overall global response. It is a point well made that New Zealand does not need to lead change, but rather, should adopt and adapt what is successful in other countries.

Balance

The temptation to use taxes punitively, or to drive up the cost of energy from sources that may not be seen as “clean”, are not effective long-term solutions. Balance needs to be maintained so jobs are not lost and NZ’s economic growth is not put at risk, while science and technology develop future “clean energy” that is affordable, and on the scale needed. Long-term change needs to be economically and socially sustainable.

A strong focus for NZ to achieve its climate change goals will be mitigating the affects from agriculture. This is a double-edged sword as much of NZ’s wealth is driven and earned by agriculture. The use of technology and innovation will be needed to bring agriculture within NZ’s Emissions Trading Scheme limits. Notably, considerable progress has already been made. For example, the beef and lamb sector is sitting around 19 per cent below 1990 carbon emissions levels, which exceeds NZ’s current target agreed to in the Paris Agreement on climate change of 11 per cent below 1990 levels.

Horticulture does not face the same issues as agriculture, but has a critical part to play mitigating climate change and assisting NZ to meet its climate change targets. Our focus is on sustainable farming and caring for our environment. Many of our horticulture businesses are intergenerational, with each generation passing onto the next generation, land in the best possible condition.  Horticulture, along with the other primary sectors, supported the launch of the Good Farming Practice Action Plan for Water Quality, on World Environment Day. There is a copy of the plan on our website at: https://www.hortnz.co.nz/assets/Our-Work-files/Good-farming-practice-for-water-action-plan-2018.pdf

Viral role

We’ve also released a video telling the environmental story of vegetable growers Balle Bros. Find it on YouTube by searching ‘Our Environment Story’.

Working with the Government’s plan to plant one billion trees during the next 10 years, fruit trees and vines will have a vital role. Not only will they act as a carbon sink, but at the same time will provide healthy, locally grown food for NZ. This is one of the effective ways by which NZ can reach our commitment under the Paris Agreement and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. This target is equivalent to 11 per cent below 1990 levels by 2030 – a target already reached by beef and lamb.

The five principles set out by the National party are good guidelines for making the required progress. The key point is the 2030 targets, and our long-term goals can only be reached by all of NZ working collaboratively together – urban, rural and government – with each section of the country doing what it must to reach the climate change goals.