New Zealand and GHG emissions
 
  In the Climate Change space, New Zealand has a unique Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions profile in that around 50% is from the digestive systems of ruminants (sheep, cattle, deer and goats). These animals out-number the human population by around 16 to 1, making the per capita GHG emissions figures look very high comparatively, albeit that over 80% of the production derived from these animals is exported.   
  Dealing with biogenic emissions
 
  After considerable debate during the passage of the "Zero Carbon Bill", it was agreed to give the Agricultural sector time to design a mechanism for carbon pricing.  This work is being carried out under the He Waka Eke Noa ("HWEN") banner.  This work is under way.  
  This App is based on the Ministry for the Environment Guidelines last updated in December 2020 with the biogenic emissions calculated by reference to the livestock numbers on hand as at 30 June each year. 

While is is designed to capture all the estimated on-farm GHG emissions on a global basis, ie entering in the total cattle (dairy and beef), sheep and deer, it does no necessarily give an accurate portrayal of the emissions from an individual farming enterprise. And it has no ability to look at the benefits that can be derived from different management systems other than reductions in financial year end stock numbers.



 		 
  An important tool introduced in the 2008 Climate Change legislation was the Emissions Trading Scheme ("ETS"). Within it there is a mitigation side whereby carbon sequestering forestry can be recognised by the creation of "carbon credits" (each equating to one tonne of sequestered carbon), called a New Zealand Unit ("NZU").  Generally emitters are able to purchase NZUs to cover their net emissions.

However, this is currently not the case for biogenic methane, with a decision not scheduled to be made until around 2025.  This makes no sense and severely limits the ability of  sheep and beef operations in particular to undertake any "informed" planning for the future.

In treating methane as a short term gas, this analysis gives the option of calculating forestry mitigation requirements on the basis of the GWP20 factor of around 87. [GWP100 is 25.] The benefit is that the sequestering cover is only required for 20 years after which the sequestered carbon can cover another emissions cycle. 		 
 
 
  In the absence of an agreed framework for calculating on-farm emissions MfE has published factors for agriculture in its calculations Guidelines (linked above).  The factors detailed in these guidelines are used in this calculator.  
Guidelines/Default emissions reporting
 
 
 
      Kg CO2e /hd  
    (The factors can be user defined.) CH4 N2O CO2e  
    Dairy cattle      
    Non-dairy cattle      
    Sheep      
    Deer      
  Manure management             
    Dairy cattle      
    Non-dairy cattle      
    Sheep      
    Deer      
  Agricultural soil emissions          
    Dairy cattle      
    Non-dairy cattle      
    Sheep      
    Deer      
  Total from Enteric fermentation, Manure management & Soil  
          CH4 N2O CO2e  
    Dairy cattle      
    Non-dairy cattle      
    Sheep      
    Deer      
  The above factors are for livestock on hand at 30 June each year.
  
                 
  Animal analysis
 
  Like many arbitrary dates on which a charge is levied based on "stock on-hand" at a given date, 30 June is going to result in perverse behaviours, not necessarily consistent  with an orderly market.

By way of example, with an NZU at $100, the cost of keeping a cattle beast would be over $170, a lamb more than $34. One could speculate that there will be market chaos 30 to 60 days either side of 30 June each year, particularly at processor level where a regular flow of stock is critical.

This method of calculation gives a reasonable result for sheep and beef breeding enterprises in particular. However, if there is much in the way of trading, the result might not reflect anything close to actual biogenic emissions.

Below is a matrix based on the above emissions factors that can be used to calculate a specific farm's gross emissions for return purposes. 		 
  Fundamental assumptions          
    Methane - GWP100  - GWP20  
    Nitrous Oxide - GWP100 CH4/KgDM  
    Effective area (ha)      
             
      Numbers CH4 N2O Factor Mt CO2e  
    Dairy cattle  
    Non-dairy cattle  
    Sheep  
    Deer  
    Gross emissions (Mg)  
   
If the effective hectares is correct, tick.
   
  Implied DMI (KgDM) MjME/KgDM    
  Emissions sources Enteric 0.0    
      Manure    
      Soil 0.0    
         
               
     
     Fertiliser analysis  
    Note: There are default N percentages for Urea, DAP and SOA. The N % is required for any non-Urea nitrogn fertilisers.  
    Fertiliser
(7 options) 		Gross tonnes Percent- age (Re)define Factor Mt CO2e  
   
If you have been given your N use by your supplier, enter that figure and define the percent
as 100%.
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
               
  Summary - On-farm GHG emissions        
    Untick to excl N2O CH4 CO2 Mt CO2e  
    Fertiliser
 
    Animals
 
     
  Feed quality adjustment
The default is 10.8 MjME per Kg of DM. Increased pasture quality will reduce DMI to provide the same nutritional value.
     
         
   %  
  Existing forest CO2 sequestration
This is he figure used by MfE.
The planted area.
Tick to use this setoff.
Note that currently methane cannot be mitigated
 
    NET EMISSIONS        
     /tonne  
  [This does not take account of any existing sequestering.]  
    Select the farm location below.  
 
 mt/ha pa Variation
This is the variation from the 2008 Lookup tables and reflects experience.
 
 
 mt/ha pa  
This is the variation from the 2008 Lookup tables and reflects experience.
 
  Weighted average          
    Age Cover Mt CO2e Mitigate Forest ha  
    N2O    
    CH4
 
    CO2    
         
     
    Required by:
 
    * There is currently no ability to mitigate methane.    
         
  Note: In the mitigation space, the MfE calculator gives credit for regenerating natives. There is no legislative support for that but it should be the case, albeit at 3.4 tonne pa.   
  Notes
         
   
  Break-out additional mitigation scenarios
 
   
Note: This calculation doesn't impact anywhere else..  
    Methane emissions are a function of DMI (KgDM intake or consumed DM). Emissions benefits can therefore be derived from better nutritional value feedstuffs such as modern grasses. An additional benefit is that better quality feed will accelerate weight gain and this reduces emissions intensity, ie emissions per kg of carcase weight (KgCw).
This section allows the user to explore the benefits that can be derived from improved MjME. 		 
    CH4 (say)*          
    Estimated current
This is a user-defined estimate of the current average MjME of
consumed DM for a farming enterprise. A standard Kg of DM is 10.8 MjME.
 MjME  
        Reduction in KgDM  
    * In CO2e terms    
  Disclaimer and conditions of use  
  While every effort has been made to ensure that any statements made or the formulae underpinning calculations in  this App are accurate at the time of authorship, they should not be relied upon in making any decisions whatsoever. Any actions being considered that involve the subject matter of this App should only be made with the benefit of relevant and competent professional advice.
The fundamental condition of use is that no author, domain owner or referee has any liability whatsoever in relation to the use of this App. Acceptance of this condition and thereby access to it for analysis purposes is acknowledged by accepting the terms below.  		 
  I hereby accept the conditions of use to gain access to this App.  
         
 
   
   
         
    Mt CO2e     Mt CO2e  
  alternatively
To override here to use this section to see the impact of forestry mitigation, mindful of the stated caveats.
 
  Net after discount of
 
      Area (ha) CO2 pa   Mt CO2    
 
This is the sequestration rate in tonnes (mt) of Carbon dioxide annually (pa).
     
       
       
       
    Total existing      
  Extra mitigation required* mt/ha pa      
 
The default figure is from the previous page. Enter an alternative to re-define.