Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 April 2024
109. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current position regarding the inclusion of hedgerows in the assessment of carbon sequestration for the national inventory; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18426/24]
View answerI am acutely aware of the significant contribution that on-farm carbon sequestration, particularly through our soils, trees, and hedgerows, can make in the continued viability and sustainability of the agri-food sector. Therefore, I believe it is essential that on all on-farm sequestration is accurately reflected in the National Inventory.
My Department will do its upmost to ensure that the research needed to fill data gaps regarding hedgerows and their inclusion in the inventory is provided. Teagasc research through the National Agricultural Soil Carbon Observatory (NASCO) and the Signpost Farms, aims to improve the measurement of carbon sequestration and focuses on improving estimation of carbon sequestration, including through hedgerows and on farm woodland.
The Deputy will be aware that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for the reporting of emissions and removals associated with land use activities on an annual basis to the EU and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Therefore, it is in the EPA’s remit to include hedgerow GHG emissions and removals data in the National Inventory.
It is imperative that we protect and appropriately maintain existing hedgerows and plant new hedgerows where possible.
