Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium
Encyclopedia
Greenhouse gas
A greenhouse gas is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone...
emissions from livestock. The consortium, established in 2004, has a Memorandum of Understanding with the New Zealand Government. Almost half of the greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
are due to agriculture and since the New Zealand government has signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol
Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change , aimed at fighting global warming...
methods are being sought to seek a reduction of these emissions.
In 2003 the Government attempted to impose an Agricultural emissions research levy on farmers to fund research into agricultural emissions reduction but it proved to be unpopular and the proposal was abandoned. The PGGRC is an alternative method of addressing agricultural emissions.
An independent review in 2006 found that the PGGRC was producing world-leading research and is excellent value for money.
Partners
The partners in the consortium are:- AgResearch
- FonterraFonterraFonterra Co-operative Group Limited is a New Zealand multinational dairy co-operative owned by almost 10,500 New Zealand farmers. The company is responsible for approximately 30% of the world's dairy exports and with revenue exceeding NZ$19.87 billion, is New Zealand's largest company.- History :In...
- Fert Research
- PGG WrightsonPGG WrightsonMember of the Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium.Craig Norgate resigned as chairman of PGG Wrightson in 2009.In 2010 John Anderson joined the board of PGG Wrightson and become Chairman....
- DairyNZ
- Deer Research
- Meat & Wool New Zealand
Associate members are the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (New Zealand)
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is the state sector organisation of New Zealand which deals with matters relating to agriculture, forestry and biosecurity...
, NIWA
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research
The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research or NIWA , is a Crown Research Institute of New Zealand. Established in 1992, NIWA conducts commercial and non-commercial research across a broad range of disciplines in the environmental sciences...
and Foundation for Research, Science and Technology
Foundation for Research, Science and Technology
The Foundation for Research, Science and Technology was a Crown Entity of New Zealand, established by the Foundation for Research, Science, and Technology Act 1990....
. Research is carried out by AgResearch, DairyNZ, LIC and Lincoln University
Lincoln University, New Zealand
Lincoln University is a New Zealand university that was formed in 1990 when Lincoln College, Canterbury was made independent of the University of Canterbury...
.
See also
- Agriculture in New ZealandAgriculture in New ZealandAgriculture in New Zealand is the largest sector of the tradeable economy, contributing about two-thirds of exported goods in 2006-7. For the year ended March 2002, agricultural exports were valued at over $14.8 billion...
- Climate change in New ZealandClimate change in New ZealandClimate change in New Zealand, in the sense of anthropogenic global warming during the 20th century, is apparent in the instrumental record, in New Zealand's participation in international treaties and in social and political debates. Climate change is being responded to in a variety of ways by...
- Environment of New ZealandEnvironment of New ZealandThe environment of New Zealand is characterised by unique flora and fauna and a variety of landforms contained within a small island nation...