Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 June 2023
369. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine how farming activities on peat compare to planting trees on peat in terms of emitting carbon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31877/23]
View answerCarbon sequestration by forests is influenced by a range of factors including species, soil type, site conditions and management practices. The rate of sequestration changes over time as a forest develops and matures. When forests are young the sequestration rate is low but as the trees mature, their ability to sequester carbon dioxide (CO2) increases.
According to the Teagasc Farm Carbon Tool, the afforestation of one hectare of peat soils with 50% conifer (Sitka spruce) and 50% broadleaf (Sycamore, Alder and Birch mix) has the potential to remove 231 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare (tCO2/ha). This figure is per rotation of the forest, over the first and subsequent rotation. This is based on a mean annual sequestration rate of 3.3 tonnes of CO2 per hectare per year (tCO2/ha/yr) for the conifer species and 0.5 tCO2 /ha/yr for the broadleaf species on peat soils. The impact on emissions depends on the depth of the peat.
In comparison, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change emission values for farming activities on drained peat soils range from between 16.7 tons CO2 Equivalents per ha for grassland with nutrient rich soil with shallow drainage, to 37.6 tons CO2 Equivalents per ha for cropland with nutrient poor soil. Emissions are higher for cropland compared to permanent grassland as the soil is being disturbed annually, exposing the soil carbon and increasing the rate of oxidisation.
National specific peatland emission values are required for Ireland and to this end I continue to fund, among other initiatives, the National Agricultural Soil Carbon Observatory, which will comprise of approximately 30 GHG “Flux Towers” across a range of soil types. The data collected will enable Ireland to better quantify soil carbon emissions and sinks from agricultural land on peat soils.
The role of carbon sinks in climate policy is more important now than ever in helping us achieve our pathway towards carbon neutrality. Forestry has a significant role to play going forward and by acting now we can build a cleaner greener economy and society, which creates opportunities for us all.
My Department will continue to support farmers through the proposed new Forestry Programme 2023-2027 and through the significant commitments to schemes and payments under the CAP Strategic Plan. The Forestry Programme is now going through a process of State Aid approval with the European Commission in Brussels. When approval is received, we must work collectively to engage farmers and landowners to highlight the benefits of forestry.
