April 2010: The first meeting of the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research met from 7-9 April 2010, in Wellington, New Zealand. The Alliance brings together representatives from 29 developed and developing countries to discuss mitigation options for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture.
John Key, Prime Minister of New Zealand, underscored the importance of agricultural emissions, noting that they represent 50% of New Zealand’s emissions, and highlighted the $50 million funding for the New Zealand Centre for Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research. Participants focused on organizing the work of the Alliance, following its creation during the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, in December 2009.
Participants decided to divide work into three components on: livestock, led by New Zealand and the Netherlands; cropping, led by the US; and paddy rice, led by Japan. They also agreed on a draft charter to be finalized at a ministerial summit to be held in 2011. The Borlaug Fellowship Program, which provides grants to researchers from Alliance member developing countries to work alongside American scientists on climate change mitigation research, was also highlighted at the meeting. [New Zealand Press Release] [John Key’s Opening Remarks] [Fellowship Announcement]