A report from the Ministry for the Environment shows that our greenhouse gases have been increasing since 1990. This was the year we signed the Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gases.
The bad news is that our greenhouse gas emissions increased by 21% since that date although this is slightly better than the peak of 22% in 2006.
Although New Zealand contributes only 0.15% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the world, our population is small so we are high per head of population.
Most of the greenhouse gases in New Zealand, 48%, come from animals and fertilisers used on the soil. The main gases here are methane and nitrous oxide. Next, at 39%, is road transport and electricity generation and this gas is mostly carbon dioxide. New Zealand is a long country, about 2,000km from north to south. Trucks carry a lot of our freight. Most people in New Zealand own a car.
Much smaller amounts of gases come from industry and waste like landfill. Improved technology can help here.
Forests are important in absorbing carbon dioxide. New Zealand planted a lot of forests from 1992 for the next few years. However, recently forests have been cut down and logs sold for export. We are not replacing trees fast enough. We need to plant more forests.
There is not a lot more that we can do to improve. 75% of our electricity is generated from renewable energy: hydro, geo-thermal and wind. The main problem is our agriculture industry. The report, however, says that methane and nitrous oxide do not stay long in the atmosphere whereas carbon dioxide does.
Vocabulary
• emissions (n), emit (v) – come out into the atmosphere
• methane – CH4
• nitrous oxide – N 20
• electricity generation – making electricity
• carbon dioxide – CO2
• landfill – place where rubbish is taken and covered with soil
• absorb (v), absorption (n) – soak up
Note:
The last word ‘does’ assumes you understand the rest of the meaning ‘stay long in the atmosphere’. We don’t like to repeat words if they are easy to understand.