Climate plan – cut cars, cut cows, grow trees

Photo: Radio Waatea Image Database.

Winding down imports of petrol and diesel-powered vehicles, farming fewer cows, planting more trees are among the recommendations in the Climate Change Commission’s first draft report released yesterday for consultation.

The commission says there are achievable, affordable and socially acceptable pathways for Aotearoa to take, and it’s time for accelerated climate action.

It says planting trees – up to 380,000 hectares of new exotic forestry by 2035 – isn’t enough, and the country also needs to slash livestock numbers by around 15 per cent by 2030.

Mike Smith from the National Iwi Chairs Forum climate group says while other nations are steadily reducing emissions, New Zealand’s are escalating.

He says reducing the national dairy herd is a good place to start as it’s a major source of emissions, and it would also help with the clean-up of rivers and lakes.

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