Feds back ambitious climate change target

Feds climate change spokesman Anders Crofoot says this target is in line with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report which says reducing fossil fuel use will need to be the major focus to achieve this target.

However, Crofoot says agriculture will also play its part in developing technologies which will increase productivity while reducing carbon intensity of primary sector products.

"Agriculture takes its responsibilities as NZ and global citizens seriously and the primary sector already has an impressive track record in achieving carbon efficiency.

"We continue to play a role in meeting the world's demand for nutrient-dense protein and finding solutions which address climate change concerns and the food security dynamic.

"To date, the amount of carbon released in producing a block of butter here in NZ is the lowest in the world. It is important to make sure our approach to reducing NZ's emissions does not undermine our critical export industries.

"Climate change does not begin or end at NZ's borders and NZ plays a world leading role as one of the most emission-efficient food producers and exporters in the world."

Crofoot says NZ's primary sector has made huge gains in carbon efficiency in the past three decades, through enhanced animal and plant genetics, and greater understanding of livestock digestion and metabolism. He says our agricultural emissions intensity has declined at least 20% since 1990.