Coveney downplays EU climate report

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney has downplayed a report by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, which recommended reducing the Irish beef herd by 35%, and the dairy herd by 5.5%, to comply with EU 2030 greenhouse gas (GHG) emission targets.

Mr Coveney said the report provides an EU-wide assessment of GHG mitigation policy options up to 2030 in agriculture.

The minister said it is acknowledged in the report that different assumptions could be made on availability and uptake of mitigation options, and agricultural productivity growth, which could alter the results in the report.