The Climate Change Commission’s plan must focus on Aotearoa’s biggest polluter – animal agriculture

Right now, the Climate Change Commission is taking submissions from the public. This is our chance to demand an ambitious action plan that puts an emphasis on reducing pollution from animal agriculture and promotes a climate-healthy Aotearoa.

The Climate Change Commission was established to help Aotearoa address the global climate emergency and transition to a climate-resilient and low-emissions future. The Commission has released a draft report identifying what needs to change so that Aotearoa can improve our greenhouse gas emissions profile and do our part in combating the global climate emergency.

Despite acknowledging that animal agriculture is responsible for most of the greenhouse gasses emitted in Aotearoa, the Climate Change Commission’s draft report lacks clear and strong recommendations that will allow Aotearoa to cut pollution from our most environmentally damaging industry.

The climate emergency is the greatest threat to human health this century. We need a plan that’s ambitious and bold – one that makes it clear how Aotearoa can effectively reduce climate pollution.

Take action

Tell the Climate Change Commission you want to see stronger plans in place that will see a greater reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from the animal agriculture sector

We have pre-filled an email message for you, but encourage you to personalise your message. You could include any of the key points provided below.

Points you can include:

• Animal agriculture is responsible for the majority of Aotearoa’s greenhouse gas emissions, yet the draft advice doesn’t place enough emphasis on reducing the impact of our biggest contributor to the climate emergency
  • Livestock farming accounts for 90% of Aotearoa’s agriculture emissions
  • Animal agriculture emits most of Aotearoa’s methane emissions and makes a significant contribution to long-lived gas emissions
  • Almost 40% of land in Aotearoa is taken up by pastoral agriculture
• The majority of change needs to occur in the animal agriculture sector if we are to meet our goals to cut emissions and make a real contribution towards combating the climate emergency
• We want to see a plan that:
  • Supports and incentivises diversification of land use into plant-based food production
  • Disincentivises any new conversions into the climate-damaging dairy industry
  • Brings animal agriculture into the Emission Trading Scheme
  • Focuses on reducing Aotearoa’s economic reliance on animal agriculture by providing positive incentives to help farmers make a transition to horticulture