Summary
Cabbage trees stand out amongst
regenerating native vegetation
The Department of Conservation is one of six New Zealand government agencies required to become “carbon neutral” by 2012. It can pursue two options:
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions directly, e.g. by introducing fuel-efficient vehicles.
- Offset the remaining gross emissions via planting new forests, enhancing native forest regeneration, and stepping up pest control in forests, including with outside investment.
Forest carbon sinks and carbon credits
Forests established since 1990 will be eligible for “carbon credits”, a source of income to the owners or investors. Pest control in existing forests will not be eligible under the Kyoto Protocol, at this stage, and will afford DOC partners more of a marketing and triple bottom line reporting benefit. In any event, “forest carbon sinks” on conservation land may lead to spin-offs for DOC in biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services.
There is a caveat. Forests capture carbon only while they are growing. Mature or “overmature” forests can even emit net carbon dioxide. The risks of fire, earthquake and pests need to be managed in perpetuity.
Implications of New Zealand’s obligations under the Kyoto Protocol
Under the Kyoto Protocol, New Zealand is required to stabilise net emissions at 1990 levels during 2008-2012, and, alternatively, absorb any excess, e.g. by buying carbon credits from other countries. An excess looks likely: New Zealand’s gross emissions in 2005 were 24.7% more than in 1990. New Zealand has among the highest levels of emissions per capita and rates of emissions growth in the world.
New Zealand is developing a carbon emissions trading scheme, as one of the incentives for change and this would affect the type of energy produced and how it’s used.
Why we need to act
New Zealand’s actions cannot directly influence world climate: we are too small. But we can be part of global efforts to persuade the big emitters to act. The latest research shows that Kyoto compliance alone will not stabilise world climate and many OECD countries are pledging to reduce their emissions to well below 1990 levels by 2050.
If the average global temperature increase is kept to within 2 degrees more than today, the chances of climate stabilisation are thought to be good. Regardless of what the world does, some climate change will occur.
By 2100 New Zealand will be likely to be affected by changes in storm and flood patterns, sea level rise, immigration pressures, disruptions to world trade and tourism, and increased spread of diseases and pests. Native species and ecosystems could be affected.
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