The methane debate: what the open letter got wrong

The methane debate: what the open letter got wrong
NZ and Ireland's primary methane-emitting culprit – the dairy cow. (Image: NZME)
Adrian Macey and Dave Frame
It is easy to claim that New Zealand is using an “accounting trick” to measure methane emissions, as a group of scientists did last week in an open letter, as reported on the front page of the Financial Times. This claim, apparently in reaction to the recent independent methane panel report, is misleading at best and could be read as implying bad faith on the part of the government. However, the open letter succeeds only in telling half a story, and telling it twice.Untangling the threadsThere’s been plenty...

More Primary Sector

Zespri harvests record NZ crop
Primary Sector

Zespri harvests record NZ crop

Kiwifruit marketing company Zespri said this season’s New Zealand crop of around 215 million trays, or more than 770,000 tonnes, has been the largest yet.“Even with a significant increase in volume, from more than 195 million trays last season to 215 million this year, our market...

An updated recap: Fonterra’s $4.2b Mainland sale
Primary Sector

An updated recap: Fonterra’s $4.2b Mainland sale

Today's the day the sale will get the blessing of farmers.