Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Heats Up

New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre heating up

The New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre launched in March by Prime Minister John Key is hosting a visit of the Global Research Alliance officials this week and Director Dr Harry Clark says this is a busy time as the Centre makes links and works with representatives of all the countries involved.

The Centre plays a leading role funding and coordinating New Zealand research to reduce methane and nitrous oxide emissions, and to increase the rates of soil carbon accumulation. "The Government has said this Centre will play a key role in New Zealand’s science input into the world-wide initiative, the Global Research Alliance (GRA), announced in Copenhagen last year, and this is the first meeting of the GRA. I'm pleased to show GRA delegates our facilities and give an overview of the work underway in New Zealand along with Professor Mike Hedley of Massey University, Dr Peter Janssen of AgResearch and Professor Surinder Saggar of Landcare Research," said Dr Harry Clark the Director of the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre.

"We'll cover issues such as methane emissions, soil carbon sinks, nitrous oxide from pastures, biochar, rumen microbial genomics, chemigenomics, nitrous oxide emissions from pastures and methane oxidizers for waste treatment, and show New Zealand's capability and research progress." GRA delegates have been meeting in Wellington to discuss the structure and governance arrangements for the GRA, including the scope and organisation of work for research groups, and identifying elements that could form a draft Charter. "The GRA meeting has come at a great time for the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre. We're up and running and on track to announce New Zealand projects in the coming weeks," said Dr Clark.

ENDS

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