Highlights 2015: NZAGRC's annual report

Highlights 2015 is an overview of successes of the science programme funded by the NZAGRC and PGgRc.

It covers the science year July 2014 to June 2015 and includes progress towards solutions and ways that the NZAGRC and PGgRc work together.

Highlights 2015 and a full 2014/15 annual report are available online at www.nzagrc.org.nz/annualreport

Celebrating success at the 2015 KuDos Hamilton Science Excellence Awards

Each newsletter we post a couple of short profiles on our researchers and students. Today, we celebrate the successes of our friends in Hamilton...

University of Waikato technician, and a pivotal player in the NZAGRC-funded soil carbon programme, Aaron Wall was a winner in last month’s 2015 KuDos Hamilton Science Excellence Awards. He picked up the top award in the Hill Laboratories Laboratory Technologist Award section. Read more about Aaron's success and view a short film...

"Humbled and surprised” is how AgResearch Senior Scientist and NZAGRC Project Leader Dr Jiafa Luo describes his reaction to hearing his name read out as the winner of the Gallagher Agricultural Science Award at this year’s KuDos Hamilton Science Excellence Awards. Read more about Jiafa's award including a short film of some of his work...

Profile your team
We like to include short profiles of people who are involved in the NZAGRC-PGgRc programme on our website and in our newsletter. If you would like to prepare a short profile on someone in your team, email us

The Road to Paris: It's nearly time

Last newsletter we prepared a short overview of New Zealand's Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) in preparation for the COP21 UN climate summit in Paris in December 2015.

Paris starts in a few hours. We thought it was useful for you to have an overview of agricultural events that will take place in the margins of this important summit.

Click here for a list of agricultural events

More information ahead of the summit
NZAGRC's overview of New Zealand's INDCs
Read more here...

CCAFS Info Note: Agriculture's prominence in the INDCs
Read more here...

CCAFS Info Note: Agriculture's contribution to national emissions
Read more here...

News from the NZAGRC: Andy Reisinger's appointment to IPCC Bureau

Dr Andy Reisinger, Deputy Director (International) has been appointed as a member of the IPCC Bureau to provide guidance to the 195 country governments represented in the IPCC on scientific aspects and process for delivering a sixth assessment report (AR6) and a series of Special Reports over the next 7 years.

This appointment is the natural next step for Andy, who has been heavily involved in the IPCC since his appointment as New Zealand government representative to the Panel in 2000. Read more about Andy's history with the IPCC

In his Bureau appointment, Andy will represent Region 5 (South-west Pacific) and Working Group 3: Mitigation (WGIII) for the duration of the AR6 and associated Special Reports, expected to take 5-7 years.

Tasks will include supporting the Panel, IPCC Chair and co-chairs of WGIII to deliver its AR6 by providing scientific advice on the scope of reports, nomination and selection of authors and other scientific and procedural advice.

Dr Harry Clark, NZAGRC Director notes that Andy’s involvement as representative for the region, which includes Asian rim and Pacific nations, is an accolade of Andy’s personal commitment and knowledge of greenhouse gases mitigation and adaptation research and policy. His continued involvement in the IPCC Assessment Reports provides a continuity of focus and commitment to increasing knowledge and awareness of the potential impacts of climate change.

About the IPCC Bureau
About the IPCC

All IPCC reports are available at www.ipcc.ch

News from international work programme

New Zealand maintains an active role in the Global Global Research Alliance on agricultural greenhouse gases (GRA). NZAGRC facilitates leadership in livestock emissions research and training in emissions measurement throughout the world.

Global case studies
Recently, as part of the GRA's Livestock Research Group work programme, a series of case studies were commissioned to share experiences from around the globe with the rest of the group. These case studies came from a variety of countries. Some are at system level, some are regional level and others country level. More are in development with in-country contacts. The completed case studies are available at globalresearchalliance.org/research/livestock/#casestudies-1

Recent publications you need to read

A climate of hope: Q&A with Dr Andy Reisinger
Ahead of the 2015 UN climate change conference in Paris (COP21), the Herald's science reporter Jamie Morton is talking to a range of experts on climate-related issues. Here he talks to Dr Andy Reisinger, deputy director of the Palmerston North-based New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre, which is searching for ways to reduce the amount of methane belched from sheep and cattle - our biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Read more here...

Rumen microbial community composition varies with diet and host, but a core microbiome is found across a wide geographical range
G. Henderson, F. Cox, S. Ganesh, A. Jonker, W. Young, P.H. Janssen. 2015. Scientific Reports 5: 14567. Read more here...

Reducing New Zealand's agricultural greenhouse gas emissions: Gibberellins
This publication provides an overview of the impact of gibberellins on grazed grasslands and the potential for gibberellins to mitigate farm nitrous oxide emissions. Read more here...