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April 27, 2011   •   News

New Zealand establishes major GHG fellowship programme

The New Zealand Agriculture Minister David Carter and the Minister for International Climate Change Negotiations Tim Groser have announced a fellowship programme as part of New Zealand’s efforts on the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases.

The Global Research Alliance Senior Scientist (GRASS) Award will support scientists from New Zealand and from other Alliance countries to undertake exchanges on research projects into agricultural GHG mitigation, for up to six months.

“We know that the world faces a major challenge in producing more food at the same as tackling climate change,” says Mr Carter. “Science plays a crucial role in finding solutions, and these will come with greater collaboration between research communities across the globe.”

“It is what the Global Research Alliance was designed to do, and the GRASS awards will be an important link in our agricultural GHG mitigation efforts.”

Mr Groser says the new awards will provide further opportunities for capacity building within the New Zealand science sector and will strengthen the relationship between scientists across Alliance countries.

The GRASS Award complements the existing LEARN Fellowships programme sponsored by New Zealand since 2007 which supports developing country scientists undertaking research in New Zealand.

Guidelines for the GRASS Award scheme can be downloaded here [PDF]. For more information and to access the application forms, please contact the GRASS Award administrators at the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre.