In what has been hailed as a politically significant
development, the Government has released its discussion documents
setting out preferred policies on agricultural emissions, and is
seeking public feedback. The strategies set out in the paper adopt
and build on the recommendations made by the Interim Climate Change
Committee (ICCC) in its report to the Ministry for
the Environment (see
here).
While the Government has been deliberate in emphasising the
positives in its release and in media interviews, especially the
commitment from the agricultural sector that emissions reductions
are required, it has been criticised by commentators from all
sides. One criticism has been that it is a 'Kyoto era solution
for a Paris era problem', referring to the urgent timeframes
for reduction agreed at the most recent climate talks in Paris last
year. Against this, primary sector leaders have called for a
different approach which would allow a longer run up for individual
farmers
