- the high standard of speaking by the contestants; and
- the contestants’ obvious knowledge of and commitment to sustainability.
Submissions have closed on the proposed carbon zero act and like many organisation HortNZ made a submission. This is a major development for New Zealand and will create the blueprint for reaching its climate change targets by 2030, and then 2050. The question of course is how can these targets be met and what role can, and should, horticulture play. The young grower contestants identified advances in growing systems and technology as one of the key components for horticulture to play a major part to reach the targets.
Today, there are about 116,000 hectares growing fruit, berries and vegetables. In New Zealand horticulture’s contribution to greenhouse gases control is not large. But if horticulture increased to one million hectares, nine times its current size, modelling has predicted that the price of carbon would reduce by $13/t in 2050. This demonstrates, as the contestants’ observed in their speeches, that horticulture has the potential to play a very important part in reaching the 2050 targets. But this has to be put into context, as to achieve the 2050 targets, there will be impacts on emissions prices, on New Zealand’s GDP, jobs, incomes, and the health of New Zealanders. Primary sector and horticulture farming operations may end up being put out of business as we move to meet these targets. Therefore, particular attention needs to be paid to:
- New Zealand’s international competitiveness, the ability for our horticulture exports to continue to earn premium prices, and the potential for carbon leakage.
- Domestic food supply: the impact of the methods of implementation on the reliable supply of fresh fruit and vegetables to domestic consumers.
- Investment in research to develop alternative technologies and fuels that growers will need to enable viable fruit and vegetable production to continue.
- Recognition that shelter belts, fruit trees, vines and crops all contribute to reducing greenhouse gases.