Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 May 2020
975. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if an analysis will be carried out on the way in which carbon sequestration capabilities are calculated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4217/20]
View answerGreenhouse gas emissions and removals associated with land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF), are reported in Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions inventory prepared by the Environmental Protection Agency. LULUCF includes activities associated with forestry, croplands, grasslands, wetlands, settlements and other lands. The emissions and removals associated with LULUCF in Ireland are reported in chapters 6 and 11 of Irelands National Inventory Report , submitted annually to the EU and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The compliance requirements of the EU’s Effort Sharing Decision (Decision 406/2009/EC), which governs Ireland’s target emission reduction levels for 2013 to 2020, do not include emissions and removals from land use, land use change and forestry.
The subsequent LULUCF Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2018/841) has established the mechanisms whereby LULUCF activities are to be included in Members States emissions reduction targets for 2021 to 2030 under the Effort Sharing Regulation (Regulation (EU) 842/2018). Under this regulation Ireland can avail of 26.8 million credits associated with land use over the period 2021 to 2030. Thus for 2030, under European legislation, Ireland will be able to use removals associated with land-based activities in meeting its 2030 emission reduction targets. The methods by which the emissions and removals are to be accounted for are laid out in regulation (EU) 841/2018 in the context of Effort Sharing between EU Member States to meet overall EU climate change mitigation goals.
It is essential that Ireland has robust policies in place to manage emissions and enhance removals from this LULUCF category. This is recognised in the 2019 Climate Action Plan, which includes a range of measures to develop and better manage our carbon sinks.
