Carbon emission targets are unfair to agriculture, warns Bergin

CARBON emission reduction targets are deeply flawed in relation to farming as they take no account of the ability of grassland to absorb carbon, according to IFA Climate Change spokesman Jer Bergin.

Mr Bergin has criticised the position being adopted by the European parliament at the UN climate change talks which opened yesterday in Cancún, Mexico, and which run until December 10. The EU is aiming to cut carbon emissions by 30%, within a timeframe likely to be agreed at the Cancún talks.

Mr Bergin said this position is potentially damaging to Ireland’s economic recovery, and that the target is based on flawed calculations of greenhouse gas emissions.

Mr Bergin said: “The EU Parliament’s position, which was narrowly adopted ahead of this week’s talks in Cancún, has failed to address the science behind the climate change debate and is totally flawed. The current international greenhouse gas emissions accounting method takes no account of the carbon sinks associated with grassland and forestry.

“For Ireland, this is extremely unfair because the country has the largest carbon absorbing permanent pastures in Europe and the greatest potential to expand the forestry sector. Any EU move to 30% and international agreement must include these important carbon sinks.”

The IFA expert’s view is that any move to step up to the 30% target must be matched by a similar commitment from more carbon intensive regions. For example, unless South America is required to produce food as environmentally efficiently as Europe and in particular Ireland, then international emissions will simply increase beyond control.

“Over the past 20 years emissions from milk and beef production have all declined in Ireland. We have a low carbon model of food production and EU negotiators in Cancún must not undermine the very important agriculture sector,” said Mr Bergin.