A climate change lobby group has dispelled as a "convenient untruth" claims by agricultural leaders that there were no cost-effective options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Sustainability Council of New Zealand claimed more than 13% of the country's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions could be effectively cut using available technology, at the same time returning farmers a profit and saving the country $150 million a year buying carbon credits to cover liabilities.
The Sustainability Council requested under the Official Information Act a report prepared by international consultants ICF for the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, which it said identified products and activities immediately available to reduce agricultural emissions.
Products listed were nitrification inhibitors, stand-off pads, the intestinal antibiotic monensin, agrotain, which slowed the release of nitrogen, and biodigestion products.
Council executive director Simon Terry said the products would reduce emissions of nitrous oxide and methane, and cited seven uses he said would remove 5.4 megatonne of carbon equivalent a year.
Between 2010 and 2012 there was the potential to reduce 16 megatonnes of emissions which, at a carbon price of $30 a tonne, equated to a saving to the country of nearly $500 million.
He said in an interview there were other products, but some were not yet commercially available.
Farmers had claimed there were no alternatives to reducing greenhouse gas emissions other than reducing animal numbers or cutting back the use of fertiliser, all of which had financial implications for them and the country.
While the council claimed the technology outlined was effective and profitable, no cost benefit analysis was provided, but Mr Terry said he would release the relevant data.
The previous government also accepted farmers' claims of insufficient emission reduction technology, and exempted agriculture from the emission's trading scheme until 2013.
The new National-led Government was reviewing that policy.
Instead of using agriculture to push for New Zealand to be classified as a special case, Mr Terry said the sector had the greatest opportunity to make changes that would benefit the nation and demonstrate international leadership on climate change.
