New Zealand needs to move quickly to deal with its emissions, Climate Change Issues Minister David Parker told the New Zealand Tree Crops Association national conference last night.
He told the tree-growers there were both climate risks and benefits to tree crops, including the uncertainty of water supplies, the rise in pest, disease, and fire dangers.
The benefits would be larger fruit and the fact new species could be grown. The minister told the conference New Zealand's agriculture industry contributed about half of all the country's emissions through methane (31%), urine (15%) and fertiliser (3%).
When discussing renewable electricity, the minister was taken to task by some conference attendees who argued electricity was not being used wisely, as the country's power network could not transport all the electricity needed by the North Island.
Mr Parker said the infrastructure issue was being fixed and argued that electricity was being used wisely - Contact Energy was required to report any time the Clyde and Roxburgh dams spilled water.
The conference will continue today with speakers on a variety of subjects relating to tree-growing and new and innovative technologies.
