The New Zealand Government has signed up to a new international methane pledge at the COP26 climate talks currently underway in Glasgow, but Greenpeace is unimpressed.

Over 100 countries have signed the pledge and agreed to collectively reduce methane emissions by 30%. There is however no obligation for all countries to individually meet the 30% target to reduce methane emissions, and it will largely be accomplished by tackling methane leakage from oil and gas installations rather than agriculture.

"New Zealand’s methane emissions come mostly from the country’s massive dairy herd, but signing the pledge does not mean the Ardern Government will increase its methane reduction target. So, once again, we have meaningless promises from the New Zealand Government in lieu of real climate action," says Greenpeace agriculture campaigner, Christine Rose.

"The climate crisis demands urgent action and for New Zealand that means reducing agricultural emissions by eliminating synthetic nitrogen fertiliser and reducing the dairy herd numbers.

"Methane is a potent greenhouse gas which is 80% more potent in global warming than CO2 in the short term and it’s therefore essential that emissions of the gas are reduced. This pledge fits into a very worrying pattern of big talk and little action from the New Zealand government," says Rose.

Emissions from its massive dairy herd make up 89% of New Zealand’s total methane output, which are 42% of the country’s greenhouse gases. But under the Zero Carbon Act, industrial dairy methane emissions are only promised to reduce by 10% by 2030 through means that are still being worked out in an industry partnership known as He Waka Eke Noa, another voluntary agreement negotiated by the industry with little hope of reducing emissions according to Greenpeace.

"Hollow pledges undermine the seriousness of the impacts of climate change and are no substitute for action. Just like the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) announced over the weekend, and the delayed Emissions Reduction Plan discussion document before it, this is just more hot air instead of action by the New Zealand Government," says Rose.

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