[ti:New Zealand May Put Price on Emissions from Cows and Sheep+++新西兰对农场动物排放定价]
[by:www.21voa.com]
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[00:00.00]New Zealand recently released a proposal
[00:04.21]to put a price on gases released from agricultural activity.
[00:09.47]The move is part of an effort to deal with the country's 
[00:13.50]biggest sources of greenhouse gases: sheep and cattle.
[00:18.70]Greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and methane, 
[00:24.32]are believed to cause warming temperatures in the Earth's atmosphere.
[00:29.17]The measure would make New Zealand the first country 
[00:33.03]to have farmers pay for emissions from farm animals, 
[00:37.19]the Ministry for Environment said.
[00:39.99]New Zealand, home to 5 million people, 
[00:44.57]has about 10 million cattle and 26 million sheep.
[00:49.58]These animals release gases such as methane.
[00:54.00]Nearly half of New Zealand's total greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture.
[01:01.01]But agricultural emissions have previously not been part of the country's emissions trading plan.
[01:08.41]This has lead some to criticize the government's willingness 
[01:12.82]to stop the greenhouse effect, known as global warming.
[01:17.26]Under an early version of the plan, which was put together 
[01:21.55]by government and farm community representatives, 
[01:25.11]farmers will have to pay for their gas emissions starting in 2025.
[01:31.73]Short-and long-lived farm gas will be priced separately, 
[01:36.81]although a single measure to calculate their volume will be used.
[01:41.78]James Shaw is New Zealand's Climate Change Minister.
[01:46.37]He said, "There is no question that we need to cut the amount 
[01:51.10]of methane we are putting into the atmosphere, 
[01:53.73]and an effective emissions pricing system
[01:57.19]for agriculture will play a key part in how we achieve that."
[02:02.62]The proposal includes incentives for farmers who reduce emissions through feed additives, 
[02:10.71]while on-farm forestry can be used to make up for emissions.
[02:16.34]Money from the plan will be invested
[02:19.34]in research, development and information services for farmers.
[02:24.38]Michael Ahie is chair of the climate action group He Waka Eke Noa.
[02:30.55]Ahie used the term sustainable, meaning involving methods
[02:35.95]that do not completely use up or destroy natural resources, to describe the plan.
[02:42.46]"Our recommendations enable sustainable food and fiber production for future generations
[02:50.16]while playing a fair part in meeting our country's climate commitments," Ahie said.
[02:57.91]The proposal would possibly be the biggest change to farming 
[03:02.94]since the removal of agricultural subsidies in the 1980s, 
[03:08.68]said Susan Kilsby, an agricultural economist at ANZ Bank.
[03:15.49]A final decision on the plan is expected in December.
[03:20.81]I'm Ashley Thompson. 更多听力请访问21VOA.COM