The Programme for Government recognises that the next ten years are critical if we are to address the climate and biodiversity crises which threaten our safe future on this planet. Nature-based solutions have a key role to play in climate mitigation and adaptation, as well as supporting biodiversity.
In terms of integrating nature-based solutions into climate action specifically, from 2021 onwards, emissions and removals from Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry will be included in the EU Framework for compliance with national emissions targets. Under EU legislation, Ireland will be able to use a limited amount of removals associated with land-based activities, including forestry, in meeting our 2030 emissions reductions target under the Effort Sharing Regulation.
In addition, the Programme for Government recognises that land-use offers significant potential to sequester additional carbon, as well as providing a new source of family farm income and rural economic benefit. While the achievement of such improvements is not addressed in current EU policy, the Programme for Government commits to seeking to incentivise land use in the European Green Deal and broader EU policy. It also commits to evaluating, within 24 months, the potential contributions towards our climate ambition from land-use improvements (which includes forestry, farmlands and peatlands) and set in train the development of a land-use plan, based on these findings. This review will include consideration of emissions to air and water, carbon sequestration, and challenges for climate adaptation. The work on the review will be complemented and supported by a new strategy to expand afforestation, particularly "Close to Nature" forestry and agro-forestry, which will be led by Minister of State Hackett in the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine.
This cross-Government work will be overseen and coordinated by the Cabinet Committee on Environment and Climate Change which I Chair; and which covers environment, climate, water and biodiversity. The Committee will shortly agree a work programme for the remainder of 2020 at its next meeting.
More generally, I look forward to working with my colleagues the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government and Minister of State Malcolm Noonan, who has primary responsibility for biodiversity policy; and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, to deliver on the commitments set out in the Programme for Government in relation to climate action and biodiversity, the achievement of which is vital to the continued health of our society, economy, species and planet.
