tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7869978246410912302.post7332409587835546149..comments2020-05-30T15:37:06.643+12:00Comments on The Scientist NZ: The Clean Industrial RevolutionAaron Smallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313507804634725570noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7869978246410912302.post-20289631863473683242009-08-17T16:03:33.891+12:002009-08-17T16:03:33.891+12:00I think agriculture knows it has to become more su...I think agriculture knows it has to become more sustainable. But the argument stands that we are a primary produce based country, who do import most of our technology ie cars etc... Moving towards cleaner farming systems is a high priority, it can be seen through the 2009 Feildays theme My Land Our environment and the Clean Green Farmer theme for some farmer day coming up. While I agree in concept with making money from a knowledge economy. I also saw the affect a small increase in dairy prices sold on the Fonterra online platform had on the New Zealand dollar a few weeks ago. I think the issue between balancing the economic consequences, while shifting (as fast as possible) to a sustainable 'carbon zero lifestyle, while continuing to raise food production to feed a growing world population. Will take science and argiculture working closely together - but I can't see an easy solution - esp when you are as vulnerable as New Zealand - and one commodity from one animal can directly effect our dollar. <br />I would not like to be a world leader at the moment.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7869978246410912302.post-70024640095116048712009-08-17T10:25:31.522+12:002009-08-17T10:25:31.522+12:00Thanks for the comments everyone. It is a complex ...Thanks for the comments everyone. It is a complex issue indeed. I understand the concerns about agriculture, and as I understand it CO2 absorbed by pasture is not included in the Kyoto Protocol, however negotiations are underway to include it in the future. Despite this ruminant animals are still considered net emitters, there are nitrous oxide emissions due to fertilizer, and methane is a much, much more potent greenhouse gas than CO2 (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming_potential). <br /><br />Ultimately I think there will be a price on carbon and we will need to penalise or (depending on how you look at it) give incentive to emitters. Agriculture is NZ’s biggest emitter unfortunately, and hopefully this will lead to better use of fertilisers, forestry and the introduction of new innovations etc to mitigate this. These can then be sold to the world to increase the value of NZ’s exports.Aaron Smallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11313507804634725570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7869978246410912302.post-14067886260507233282009-08-13T10:31:19.237+12:002009-08-13T10:31:19.237+12:00I got forwarded your blog from a friend and I forw...I got forwarded your blog from a friend and I forwarded it onto my dairy farming Dad as we have discussed this topic a lot. He had this to say:<br /><br />Some good thinking. Minor error in farting animals, its burping (methane) animals that are a problem. I still have a worry about lumping agriculture - which is basically recycling carbon, even though methane takes a while to break down and is a greenhouse gas - with carbon releasing coal & oil using industries that can only be considered cyclers if we talk in terms of millions of years.<br />But the basic premise of embracing change & looking for opportunity is right & ultimately a winner. I think the 3rd generation biofuels offer the most exciting possibilities.Becsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7869978246410912302.post-9866301144407486012009-08-13T09:10:41.670+12:002009-08-13T09:10:41.670+12:00Here's a piece on Scientific American about GM...Here's a piece on Scientific American about GM's new electric car, the Volt. Took a near bankruptcy to lead to this! <br /><br />http://www.scientificamerican.com/video.cfm?id=33389040001Aaron Smallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11313507804634725570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7869978246410912302.post-68478859736660209822009-08-12T14:14:00.458+12:002009-08-12T14:14:00.458+12:00Nicely written Azza. You've shone some good lo...Nicely written Azza. You've shone some good long-term light on the 'emissions trading' debate. I, like many other Kiwis, am worried about the initial economic cost of such a trading scheme (why economically hamstring ourselves while other countries do nothing to mitigate their emissions and prosper accordingly??). However, as you point out, the long term benefits appear to be incentive enough. I'm still not convinced...but am beginning to accept some views of the pro-trading camp. <br /><br />StonesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7869978246410912302.post-34563820053535828632009-08-12T13:34:39.624+12:002009-08-12T13:34:39.624+12:00'Creating a highly innovative CleanTech econom...'Creating a highly innovative CleanTech economy will create new, high tech jobs that won't be able to be outsourced to China.'<br /><br />This statement is on point. Nice one Aaron.John Wnoreply@blogger.com