The Coalition Government says the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) will be its main tool for tackling climate change but it won’t be applied to New Zealand farmers. Three of the four Ministers of Agriculture—Todd McClay, Andrew Hoggard, and Mark Patterson—and Simon Watts, Minister for Climate Change, confirmed the policy on Tuesday. Wanye Langford, president of Federated Farmers, said he hoped the group would focus on reducing, rather than pricing, on-farm emissions. The group aims to avoid emissions pricing altogether and encourage farmers to use their resources to reduce methane output instead of “paying a tax”. “These investments signal the Government's support for farmers while ensuring New Zealand meets its international climate change obligations,” Watts said.

Source: New Zealand Herald June 11, 2024 04:46 UTC