Q: What is important for good policy (local and global)? A: Good information and viable options Hayden Montgomery Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry New Zealand

Information Understand the systems we are dealing with Quantify the problem to be addressed: “You can’t mitigate what you can’t measure” Options Develop mitigation options… …that are real, low-risk, fulfill multiple objectives, etc Design effective policy instruments to incentivise adoption of options

Some inconvenient truths about… Information Policy

The Alliance Launched 16 th December in Copenhagen with a Joint Ministerial Statement Now 28 member countries: Observer countries: Brazil, China, Korea Mexico Netherlands New Zealand Norway Pakistan Peru Philippines Germany Ghana India Indonesia Ireland Japan Malaysia Spain Sweden Switzerland U.K. United States Uruguay Vietnam Argentina Australia Canada Chile Colombia Denmark France

The Alliance concept Voluntary Strengthening research collaboration and leveraging collective effort Not “science for science’s sake” - outcomes focused A light bureaucracy Get going quickly Bring policy and science together Partner with other organisations and entities a co-ordinated, simple and efficient way

Ministerial Statement “Underlining the need for food security, we decide to establish a Global Research Alliance on agricultural greenhouse gases to help reduce the emissions intensity of agricultural production and increase its potential for soil carbon sequestration thereby contributing to overall mitigation efforts.” Specifically, the Alliance will help: Improve understanding, measurement and estimation of agricultural emissions. Find ways to reduce the emissions intensity of agricultural production and increase its potential for soil carbon sequestration, while enhancing food security. Improve farmers’ access to agricultural mitigation technologies and best practice.

Inaugural Meeting 7-9 April 2010, Wellington, New Zealand Meeting objectives: Good progress towards agreeing on the structure and governance for the Alliance. Development of a framework for the Research Groups, and organisation of work within those groups, including coordinating countries, and linking to other partner organisations. Identification of the elements that could form a draft Alliance Charter. Agreed timing and focus for future Alliance meetings, leading up to a Ministerial- level Summit.

Meeting outcomes (1) 1) The establishment of three Research Groups: Livestock: co-coordinated by New Zealand and the Netherlands Croplands: coordinated by the US Paddy rice: coordinated by Japan 2) A process to deal with two key cross-cutting issues that span these groups, and lead scientists/countries to coordinate this work: France and Australia on soil carbon and nitrogen cycling Canada and the Netherlands on inventories and measurement 3) A draft Alliance work plan for the next 12 months, including timings for the delivery of key pieces of work and further meetings.

Meeting outcomes (2) 4) Development of guidelines to assist with engaging partners and other entities. 5) Ministerial meeting/Alliance science conference in approximately 12 months time. 6) Elements (i.e. section headings) of a draft Charter, to be finalised at the 2011 Ministerial meeting. 7) New Zealand to continue to act as an interim secretariat for the Alliance, at least until the time of the 2011 Ministerial meeting.

Closing thoughts We’ve only just begun Period of trust building Need to maintain focus Partnerships will be very important Website almost ready….

Thank you