Low emissions intensity animal production
a case for the narrative to reflect the facts 		 
             
  It is well known that NZ produces some of the lowest emissions intensity dairy products, lamb and beef in the world. This means that any reductions in NZ production that reduces its relative position in key export markets is in fact contributing to increases in global emissions.
This is a glaring anomoly in the UNFCCC approach (of country by country micro solutions) that remains unchallenged by our policymakers. NZ's greatest contribution to minimising biogenic emissions globally is to increase production. This is the opposite to current policy.
There is a clear statement in Article 2 - Objective (also repeated in the CCRAct 2002) that, in relation to emissions reduction, includes the words, "to ensure that food production is not threatened". 
NZ supplies the world with over 30% of traded dairy products, ie cross border, and 62% of traded lamb making both sectors extremely significant. 		 
  To illustrate the benefits of NZ's low intensity production, the analyses below looks at three main agriculture sectors, dairy, lamb and beef. There are links to the source information.  
  About dairy analysis  
  The table below shows (i) the GHG emissions per kg of milk and (ii) the volumes produced in the stated countries.
In calculating the emissions benefit of NZ product in relation to other countries listed in the analysis, each has been weighted based on their own production quantity. This limits the influence of a small producer with very high product intensity.
There are two ways of using the table below. From the Countries menu, you can select "User define", to have the option of selecting you own group of countries. Otherwise we have set up some pre-set groupings.
There is then a second analysis that weights the domestic emissions in each export markets based on the volume we export to them. This calculates the net benefit in GHG Global emissions terms, of NZ being a producer and exporter of dairy products. 		 
 
 
 
 
    KgCO2e /kg milk Cow milk NZ Benefit Export %      
million mt average
NZ 21.9
     
  USA 101.3
 
  India 87.8
 
  China 34.4
 
  Germany 33.2
 
France 25.1
Netherlands 14.5
Italy 12.7
Canada 9.3
Australia 8.8
Ireland 8.6
Denmark 5.7
Sweden 2.8
Uruguay 2.2
Portugal 2.0
  Benefit factor, more versus less production
This factor is the net global emissions benefit of NZ supplying to the markets indicated (after taking NZ's production emissions into account).
 
   
  Global emissions benefits from NZ dairy exports  
  Exports by country 2020/21  (user definable in previous section)    
    KgCO2e /kg milk NZ CO2e benefit Exports volume %        
   New Zealand       NZ produces 21.9 m mt of  
   China   milk each year.  
   Australia   While this is 3% of global  
   United States   output, it is 30% of cross-  
   RoW   border supply, ie exports.  
         
   
  Lamb exports based on UK intensity        
  The following analysis for lamb has been based on newly released (Nov 2022) research commissions by Beef and Lamb. The comparison is based on the on-farm emissions from UK versus NZ.  Other research has suggested other European countries have greater product intensity than the UK.
NZ supplies over 62% of the traded (in cross border) lamb in the world. 		 
  Kg CO2e /kg Lw UK Lw to Cw  
  Kg CO2e /kg Cw UK Benefit  
Lmb processed
For 2020
 m (#)  kgcw ave
Exported Cw k mt
  CO2e Benefit  m mt of NZ agricultural emissions  
  Benefit factor, more versus less production  CO2e/kg  
   
  Beef exports based on USA intensity        
  Given that a substantial volume of NZ beef (38%) goes directly in the USA and most of the balance competes with US exports to those markets, a benefit analysis based on USA alone in appropriate.  
  Kg CO2e /kg Cw1 USA2 Benefit  
    Exported  k mt Cw      
  CO2e Benefit  m mt of NZ agricultural emissions  
  Benefit factor, more versus less production  CO2e/kg  
  1 = latest NZ study;   2 = Asem-Hiable et al., 2018 (page 10)  
  Summary of emissions benefits from NZ exports See detailed analyses
Close      View 		 
  (Derived from the analyses above) Factors  
    Dairy  m mt of CO2e
 
    Lamb  m mt of CO2e
 
    Beef  m mt of CO2e
 
     m mt of CO2e  (weighted)  
  Conclusion              
   
  Contrary to the long espoused narrative that NZ's pastoral farming is a major contributor to the planet's GHG emissions, the opposite is in fact the case. Latest research can demonstrate that NZ red meat and dairy product exports make a major contribution to GHG emissions minimisation. (It is likely that the anti-farming narrative has a lot to do with the Vegan agenda rather than simply GHG emissions concerns)!  
   
               
   
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