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Electric cars, fewer cows in New Zealand's climate change plan

15 Comments
By Marty MELVILLE

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15 Comments
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The govt in NZ forgets, how will it export and import anything when the ships are oil powered and the aircraft use avgas.

Maybe they is going to make all cargo ships going to NZ sailing boats and the aircraft be powered by rubber bands ?

They dont really think things through properly at all do they ......................

0 ( +0 / -0 )

What is the plan for the tourist when they return? Do the paddle there? I would think this plan would address airline travel somewhere also.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Yep, New Zealand will change the worlds climate! Brilliant.

Got your right wing strawman hat on have we? "Unless we can fix it all 100% really soon then let's not even bother trying"

NZ can do its bit. Not much more can be asked of it.

Right-wingers are so intellectually challenged these days that their only real policy is 'do nothing and lie'

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Electric cars, fewer cows in New Zealand's climate change plan

Yep, New Zealand will change the worlds climate! Brilliant.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Man has just made a dent.

False. The magnitude and rate of increase in C02 and methane are unprecedented over the last 800,000 years. C02 levels are 40% higher than pre-industrial levels. C02 causes global temperatures to rise. Your arguement doesn't even make a dent.

Climate change is a money making business scam.

Please explain how this 'scam' works. Bigger than, say, the fossil fuel industry?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

CO2 emissions double every 22 years.

That is a scientific fact. Not an alternative fact.

Yep, Sandy. The earth is a dynamic living organism.

So, are cancer cells.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Climate change is a money making business scam. The earth is a dynamic living organism. Please study science before joining the band wagon.

There are things called cores. Boring back into time deep with strata or in ice, and they tell you what climate was and at what time. There have been many many more times in this living earth's life that carbon dioxide and other gasses were way over what they are today. Man has just made a dent.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

It was moronic for NZ to sign up to the Kyoto Protocol all those years ago. It was already in a very unique position.

Controversial statement, but hear me out . . . .

New Zealand started from a position in 1990 where over 80% of its electrical generation was through renewables (generally hydro and gerothermal). Contrast this to other countries who could switch from coal/gas to renewables and get an instant win on the Kyoto points table.

Transport is the next biggest emitter of greenhouse gasses in NZ, but NZ is a long thin country with a sparse population. Choices for greener transport weren't available in 1990 or were extremely limited.

Farming is a large emitter of methane, but despite all the global reasearch, there still isn't an accepted method of stopping sheep and cattle from burping and farting.

Manufacturing emissions in NZ are not a large contributor to the total. Other countries have been able to significanlty reduce total emissions through regulations and switching energy supplies for manufacturing.

NZ's population alone has increased from 3.5million to over 5 million (30% increase) between 1990-2020. Kyoto measurements are based on total country measurements, not per capita. Thus even if the emissions per capita were the same as 1990 levels, NZ would still be failing their committments by 30% simply by the demands of an increasing population.

In short, NZ was never going to be able to hit the Kyoto targets. What NZ should have committed to was keeping its per capita emissions at below 1990 levels.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

With the US now showing real leadership in Climate Change, the EU's Green Deal, and other countries like NZ acting responsibly, it seems a tipping point for governments treating climate change as the emergency it is, things may finally be looking hopeful.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

I forgot to add that there is a mask for the cows head to contain burps, sneezes and other bad aerosols coming out from the careless cows and their dirty habits.

You can see the device at

www.cowgas.cowburp.USA.meatprotocol.12345.com

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

If a classic average car emits, say, 100 units of carbondioxide per km, in France, where 60% of power comes from nuclear powerplants, the car runs at reduced emission, by 40%.

That same car, in China, where power comes from coal fired plants, sends 120 units of carbondioxide.

That just shows how stupid and partial NZ initiative is. And look, Biden had to shoehorn USA back into Climate Change body.

Whatever will work, must come from the UN level, mandatory for all.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Yes exactly where does the electricity come from?

Most electric cars cannot travel far enough for long enough and already many charging facilities are already working at capacity in some centers.

Where does the export $'s come from when they reduce the dairy products & beef NZ is so well known for and the economy was built on ?

All they will do is further destroy the NZ way of life and economy, while large polluters will pump out even more carbon, india , china etc.

Something in this says typical govt , not very well thought through !

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

It is cow burp that releases methane. One cow does the same as 1 classic vehicle. NZ did some research, to mix algaes (5%) into feed and reduce methane emission by 30%. That is where science has failed, diapers are known for millennias.

Imagine that: 1 billion cows on the planet, methane reduced by 30%, that equals slashing number of cars by 330 million (out of 1.4 billion).

Where is the electricity for cars coming from?

The whole idea is ridiculous; what such a small and insignificant country will do with their clear skies? Fence them off and enjoy for themselves? Well, small country it may be, but numbers may make a difference? What when Monaco, Monte Carlo, Luxebourg, Lichenstain, Vatican, Andora...join NZ?

2 ( +5 / -3 )

They now have a sort of diaper device for cows to contain methane from their gaseous episodes and it can be recycled. A bit expensive to diaper up each cow, but worth it in the long run. Science is amazing.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Well done, again.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

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