Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 March 2021
56. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his plans to reduce emissions from the dairy farming sector as part of Ireland’s efforts to reach an average of 7% reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions given the State-led intensification of dairy farming has led to higher methane and nitrous oxide emissions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1419/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Climate Action Plan 2019 sets out a range of emissions reduction targets for the agriculture sector.
The Marginal Abatement Cost Curve, or MACC, produced by Teagasc has identified the most cost-effective pathway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Irish agriculture for the commitment period 2021 to 2030. In order to achieve our current EU 2030 emissions reduction target, the agricultural sector will need to achieve the full abatement potential identified in the MACC, which is an average abatement of 1.85 MtCOeq. per year from 2021 to 2030.
The step change in climate ambition set out in the Programme for Government will need to be reflected appropriately in the next iteration of the Climate Action Plan. Far reaching policy changes will be developed across every sector, including agriculture and the dairy industry, including:
·Building on Ireland's relative carbon efficiency in food production and ensuring the delivery of the measures identified by Teagasc to the fullest extent possible.
- Transforming the scale of organic farming, with delivery of a fair price for farmers at its heart.
- Developing a new strategy to expand afforestation, particularly Close to Nature Forestry and agro-forestry.
- Evaluating the potential role of sustainable bioenergy.
- Introducing a transformational programme of research and development, to ensure Ireland is at the cutting edge of scientific and technological innovation, including in the bioeconomy; marine sequestration; improving agriculture breeding programmes; feed additives to reduce biogenic methane; agroforestry; paludiculture; and nutrient management.
Land-use offers significant potential to sequester additional carbon and provide 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 the potential contributions towards our climate ambition from land-use improvements and set in train the development of a land-use plan, based on these findings.
It is important that the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) protects farm incomes and sectoral supports consistent with these objectives, and that the National Economic Plan and NDP Review frontloads investment that is directly aligned with our climate ambition.
