How about some facts for what is really such a boring subject!

New ZealandтАЩs greenhouse gas emissions
The MinistryтАЩs latest report on New ZealandтАЩs greenhouse gas emissions shows that emissions for 2005 were 77.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (Mt CO2-e), a 24.7 per cent over the 1990 level.

New Zealand is unusual amongst developed nations in the share of its total greenhouse gas emissions that comes from agriculture. Nearly half of New Zealand's total emissions are produced by agriculture, predominantly methane from farm animals and nitrous oxide from soils and fertilisers. According to estimates in New Zealand's Greenhouse Gas Inventory: 1990-2005, these agricultural emissions are 15 per cent above 1990 levels.

However, the principal growth in New Zealand's emissions comes from increased carbon dioxide (CO2), primarily from the energy sector which has grown by almost 42 per cent relative to its emissions in 1990. Most of this increase has come from transport (65% increase in emissions) and electricity generation (a 135% increase in emissions. About two thirds of New Zealand's electricity production comes from hydro power stations, but there has been an increasing proportion of fossil fuelled electricity generation, initially from Maui gas and increasingly from coal. This means that electricity sector emissions are growing at a rapid rate.

Another unique characteristic of New Zealand's greenhouse footprint is its forest sinks. New Zealand's plentiful forests, including the planting of a great number of post-1990 pinus radiata forests, mean that it can expect to absorb around 57 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period (2008 to 2012). However, this should not give rise to complacency as forest plantings since 1990 have been falling steadily over the past decade..........................................


3. In 2005 the agriculture sector contributed 48.5 per cent to the total emissions. The energy sector contributed 43.4 per cent. The balance of emissions was made up by industrial processes (5.6 per cent), waste (2.4 per cent) and solvents (0.1 per cent).

4. The largest single source of emissions in 2005 was from methane from enteric fermentation of ruminant animals (31.0 per cent of the total emissions). Carbon dioxide from road transport was the next biggest source contributing 16.4 per cent of total emissions (total transport is 18.4 per cent of total emissions).

http://www.mfe.govt.nz/issues/climate/g ... index.html

On and by the way, the burps are more important than the farts!