@pezmico Stands to reason because agribusiness is NZ's main economic activity. Lowest carbon countries don't have economic activity. Let's not do that. NZ is at the forefront of research into reducing dairy emissions, and are well placed to do so in future, with new grazing methods, ~30% reduction. Expecting NZ - not good not bad on CO2 - to suddenly find some other main activity is bonkers and you won't like the new job. New drilling is much worse. As always #fossilfuels getting a pass.
@nf3xn yikes.
First up, where am I giving fossils a pass?
That's mostly transport here but absolutely fossil fuels need to go. No new drilling and ending what is already happening should be a priority.
Next up, the dairy industry is absolutely out of whack. There's #tooManyCows and it is poisoning the water with nitrates and destroying freshwater ecosystems, making rivers and lakes dead and unswimmable, as well as run off going into the sea, damaging the coastal habitats. It is propped up by phosphates from Africa and palm kernel from Indonesian forests, because the herd is so big there is no way to feed them without those inputs.
NZ is pretty bad per capita on CO2, but the worst problem is methane. And accounting tricks are not going to cut it.
The government is captured by the #dirtyDairy industry, which is a comparatively low priced commodity that produces low wages and concentrates wealth at the very top.
We should aspire better, for the environment of course but also strive for an economy that is not based exclusively on over exploitation of nature.
There's a place for farming done right, but it's dangerous to allow it to be the whole focus of the economy and it definitely should be done within limits, not at the cost of drinking water, forests and fresh water ecosystems.
