IFA claims 3% cut in greenhouse gas

GREENHOUSE gas emissions from agriculture have reduced by 3% in Ireland since 1990, while they have increased by 163% from the transport sector and 23% from industry, according to IFA Climate Change Project Team chairman Sean O’Leary, calling on policy makers to tackle these growth areas to ensure that the fight against climate change succeeds.

“If significant reductions in emissions were demanded from the agriculture sector, it would place enormous downward pressure on cattle numbers,” he said.

“Clearly such a proposal makes neither economic nor environmental sense, at a time when it is estimated that global demand for food will increase by 50% within the next 20 years.”