<p><strong>The expertise of the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre&rsquo;s leadership has been recognised with the appointment of the Centre&rsquo;s Director to a key role in the Government&rsquo;s newly established Interim Climate Change Commission (ICCC). The ICCC was launched at Parliament this afternoon by the Minister for Climate Change, Hon James Shaw.</strong></p>
<p>NZAGRC Director Dr Harry Clark has been appointed a member of the Interim Climate Change Committee which has been established as the precursor to the appointment of more permanent Climate Change Commissioners (CCC). A major role of the ICCC will be to investigate entry of agriculture into the Emissions Trading Scheme until the full Commission is established under the Zero Carbon Act, in the latter half of 2019. The ICCC will also consider the transition to 100 per cent renewable electricity generation by 2035. The Interim Committee&rsquo;s advice and recommendations will be passed on to the CCC to follow through on.</p>
<p>Dr Clark says the appointment is recognition for the wider work the NZAGRC supports.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s an exciting new opportunity to put to use the vast amount of knowledge that has been garnered in the climate science and greenhouse gas mitigation space&mdash;the NZAGRC plays a vital role in coordinating this authoritative resource.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Dr Clark says his role as an ICCC committee member reflects the depth of expertise that the NZAGRC supports in the agricultural greenhouse gas mitigation space.</p>
<p>&ldquo;This will be a fantastic challenge to help New Zealand&rsquo;s push towards a low emissions economy that is vibrant and highly productive and provides growing wealth for all New Zealanders.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m looking forward to working with the other Interim Committee members to contribute to the Government&rsquo;s plans to introduce a new climate change legislation target and establish an independent Climate Change Commission&mdash;it&rsquo;s both exciting and somewhat daunting, but it is a challenge I am relishing.&rdquo;</p>
<p>ENDS</p>
<p><strong><em>For more information, contact:</em></strong></p>
<p>Dr Harry Clark, NZAGRC Director</p>
<p>Tel: +64 6 351 8334<br /> Email: <a href="mailto:harry.clark@nzagrc.org.nz">harry.clark@nzagrc.org.nz</a></p>