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• Summary
• 9.1 Definition of the Types of Research that may be Considered as Abatement or Mitigation Research
• 9.2 A Framework for Identifying, Considering and Prioritising Research to Maximise Abatement Opportunities
• 9.3 Criteria for Identifying, Considering and Prioritising Relevant Research
  • Figure 9.1: A Suggested Framework for the Development of a Greenhouse Gas Research Strategy

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Chapter 9 - A Framework for Future Research Investment

Summary

It is suggested that all future research that is related to agricultural production should have specific regard to greenhouse gas emission. However, to be considered as research on abatement, the research objectives should have some aspect of greenhouse gas abatement as its primary purpose. This research could include basic studies to understand the processes by which the gases are produced or abated, measurement and inventory development, particularly that which enables enables the impact of any abatement strategies to be measured, and research to develop specific abatement strategies based on technologies, products or farm practices. Research to integrate such strategies into whole farm management systems would also qualify. A framework that is based on deriving a national research strategy from an identification of national objectives for agricultural greenhouse gas emissions is proposed.

The terms of reference for this review call for the Review Team to propose:

" [a] framework, including criteria, for identifying, considering and prioritising relevant research to maximise abatement opportunities for methane and nitrous oxide from agriculture."

The Review Team were asked to define the types of research that can be considered as abatement research.

9.1 Definition of the Types of Research that may be Considered as Abatement or Mitigation Research

The Review Team considers that all future research that is concerned with the production performance of grazing ruminants, the improvement of forage systems, the management of animal wastes, the management of carbon and nitrogen cycles in soils and the development or improvement of farming systems should have specific regard to: the emissions of carbon dioxide; methane and nitrous oxide that may result from the adoption of the research findings; and should seek to quantify the impacts of the uptake of the research findings on emission rates.

However, to be considered as research on abatement or mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, the objectives of the research should have identification or exploration of emission abatement or mitigation as the primary purpose. This could include research on:

• Fundamental studies to provide an understanding of the processes by which methane and nitrous oxide are formed and emitted or processes or technologies that modify the production or emission of the gases. This research could be expected to have an application in the medium (5-10 years) or long-term (>10 years).
• Improvement of the National Inventory through the development of measurement techniques that can operate at national, regional, farm-scale or animal/paddock levels, and emission estimation models and emission factors that reflect as closely as possible New Zealand agricultural practices and systems. An important feature of the future inventory will be the capacity to demonstrate that any abatement strategies that are adopted are delivering the expected reduction in emissions.
• The abatement/mitigation of methane or nitrous oxide emissions through new technologies or products.
• The abatement/mitigation of methane or nitrous oxide emissions through farm management practices.
• Management at a farm-scale of soil carbon and nitrogen cycles that result in reduced GHG emissions.
• Whole farm management systems that incorporate abatement strategies in a manner that encourages uptake and adoption by farmers. This could include research into farmer attitudes to the management of greenhouse gas emissions and to the acceptability/adoptability of abatement strategies.

9.2 A Framework for Identifying, Considering and Prioritising Research to Maximise Abatement Opportunities

The framework that is illustrated in Figure 9.1 is based on the assumption that the agency that administers government and agricultural industry funds for the purchase of research on agricultural greenhouse emissions will establish and publish a strategic framework on which it will base its decisions to purchase research outputs.

The objective is to provide a conceptual framework that assists in identifying the strategic objectives for future agricultural greenhouse gas emissions abatement, and the research needed to achieve those objectives at a national, regional and farm level.

It is intended that this report will contribute to the analysis of needs and opportunities on which a future research strategy could be based, identify research areas that will make up the research portfolios, and assist in identifying priorities. The Workshop "Research Priorities for Abatement of Non-Carbon Dioxide Greenhouse gases from Agriculture" will have identification of opportunities and research priorities as its primary focus. The results of the Workshop will be presented in the Review Team's final report. This report, and the findings of the Workshop, will be used by the Review Team to formulate its recommendations in its final report.

9.3 Criteria for Identifying, Considering and Prioritising Relevant Research

An assessment of current research has been provided in Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, and these assessments offer a basis for formulating criteria for future research. However, the Review Team will provide more specific recommendations in its final report that will take account of the conclusions to date and the findings of the Workshop. The Review Team notes that how the criteria are applied in the future will depend on the strategic direction that the future funding body chooses to take. If the research funder adopts the approach of a strategy that has short, medium and long-term elements, primary criteria to make decisions regarding the allocation of resources across the research portfolios will be important. If, on the other hand, the agency adopts a more applied approach that favours more short and medium-term problem-solving research, the criteria will need to be more specific as to what research is and is not to be funded.

Since it can not pre-judge the future research strategy, the Review Team will comment on the criteria for both approaches in its final report.

Figure 9.1: A Suggested Framework for the Development of a Greenhouse Gas Research Strategy

Source: Review Team

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