Climate change targets an opportunity, not a cost

3 June 2015

Media release

Climate change targets an opportunity, not a cost

The Bioenergy Association is encouraging the Government to see its climate change targets as an opportunity for New Zealand business and the economy, not a cost.

In its submission on New Zealand’s post-2020 climate change target, the Association says increased use of bioenergy could achieve significant economic growth, create employment and deliver considerable environmental benefits.

Implementing the Bioenergy Association-led New Zealand Bioenergy Strategy 2010 could deliver, as early as 2040, nearly 40 percent of the annual greenhouse gas emission reductions required to meet the Government’s target of a 50 percent reduction by 2050. Transport biofuels would provide nearly 35 percent of the total required savings.

Association Executive Officer Brian Cox says these targets are conservative and the Bioenergy Association believes that by seeing climate change initiatives as a national opportunity instead of a cost, higher targets could be set.

“Bioenergy has the potential to add revenue of $6 billion per year to the country’s economy.”

He says there are many economically viable niche bioenergy opportunities. “With Government support and near zero cost, the number of bioenergy opportunities could increase considerably, resulting in significant economic, employment and environmental benefits.

“New Zealand has the advantage of having a good supply of renewable natural resources to achieve these benefits.

“In the short term, we’d like the Government to encourage the heat market to use wood fuel, farmers to process farm waste to produce bioenergy and local authorities to use organic waste for heating and transport fuel instead of dumping it in landfills.” says Mr Cox.

“Such leadership would show other potential users the viability of bioenergy and support expansion of the wood fuel and biogas markets.”

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About the New Zealand Bioenergy Association

The Bioenergy Association helps its members to develop and grow their bioenergy businesses, raises awareness of the benefits of bioenergy and provides the latest information about the bioenergy sector, both in New Zealand and internationally.

Its Vision is for 25 percent of New Zealand’s consumer energy supply to be from bioenergy by 2040.

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