Reductions in Greenhouse Gases

Energy Minister Max Bradford today signed three new voluntary agreements - with the Natural Gas Corporation, the meat and the diary processing industries - to reduce their emission rates of carbon dioxide.

Carbon dioxide is one of the principal greenhouse gases thought to cause global climate warming.

Mr Bradford said today's three agreements brought to 24 the number of companies and sector groups which had signed up under the Government's voluntary agreements programme.

It is estimated that about 2.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide will be saved in the year 2000 compared with the levels that would have been reached without the agreements, he said.

Under the agreements signed today, the dairy sector is committed to a 15 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, the meat sector 20 per cent and the Natural Gas Corporation 35 per cent per tonne of product manufactured in the year 2000. The reduction is against levels that would have been reached without the steps taken between 1990 and 2000.

Mr Bradford congratulated the Natural Gas Corporation and dairy and meat sectors for their commitment to reducing greenhouse gases.

"Fifteen companies are involved in the meat agreement and 14 in the dairy agreement," he said. "This is particularly welcome news given the difficulties of reaching agreements when so many companies are involved.