Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 September 2021
150. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the progress to date in achieving emission reduction targets in line with the Programme for Government whilst at the same time protecting economic progress in the agri-food business or other sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44347/21]
View answerI propose to take questions 150 and 162 together. The Programme for Government recognises that the next ten years are critical if we are to address the climate crisis, and commits to a 51% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions over the decade and to achieving a climate neutral economy no later than 2050. These commitments have since been placed on a statutory footing through the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021. The Climate Act provides for carbon budgets and sectoral ceilings to be put in place, which will determine how each sector of the economy will contribute to the achievement of the carbon budgets, including the agriculture sector.
Ireland is also bound by commitments at EU level. The 2009 Effort Sharing Decision 406/2009/EC (ESD) set annual binding emission reduction targets for EU Member States for the period 2013 to 2020. These targets cover emissions from sectors outside of the EU Emissions Trading System, such as agriculture, transport, buildings and waste. For the year 2020 the target set for Ireland was that emissions should be 20% below their value in 2005. However, the latest projections indicate that emissions from these sectors in 2020 are around 7% below 2005 levels. The EU Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR) sets further binding emission reduction targets for Member States for the period 2021-2030. While the current target for Ireland is a 30% reduction in emissions by 2030 compared to 2005 levels, the European Commission has proposed to increase this target to 42% in their Fit for 55 package.
To meet these ambitious targets set domestically and internationally, we must reduce the level of carbon emissions across every sector in our economy, including in the agri-food sector.
Irish agriculture has a positive international reputation in terms of producing high quality, sustainable produce. For us to maintain that reputation we must reverse trends within the sector of increasing emissions and negative impacts on our environment and biodiversity. The most recent Environmental Protection Agency’s ‘State of the Environment’ report has again highlighted that the agriculture sector must make improvements in order to protect our water, air and biodiversity.
This Government is committed to finding the balance between environmental, climate and biodiversity needs, and supports for the farming and agri-food industries. In recent months my Department have been actively preparing the Climate Action Plan 2021, which will identify the measures necessary to meet our ambition for carbon emissions reductions, in direct consultation with stakeholders, including the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. In the agri-food sector, we must focus on a number of key areas.
Firstly, we must support and help our farmers to continue to roll out improvements in our farming practices. This is essential from both a consumer perspective as the market demands more ‘green’ and carbon efficient produce, and from a financial perspective as higher efficiencies often mean less costs at farm level.
Secondly, we need to create a policy framework which enables farmers to make choices to avail of new diversified business opportunities, in areas like forestry, the bioeconomy and organic farming.
And thirdly, we need to focus on gathering an evidence base to support policy design in the area of land use. Ireland is currently a net emitter of emissions from our lands. We need to reverse that trend and reward farmers for doing so. As well as developing the next Climate Action Plan, my Department together with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, are evaluating the potential climate contributions from land use improvements, to develop a land-use strategy. Land-use offers significant potential to sequester additional carbon and may provide a new source of family farm income and rural economic benefit.
With the correct policy choices in the agri-food sector, we can reward farmers for sequestering carbon, restoring biodiversity, producing clean energy and improving water and air quality, while increasing profitability and competitiveness.
