Farmers are expected to hear sector-specific targets for reductions in carbon emissions today in what is likely to become one of the most significant days in shaping the future direction of Irish agriculture.
The target is expected to have significant and long-lasting impacts on Irish farming, with the Irish Examiner understanding a cut of between 22% and 30% is planned by the Government.
Just last week, a report by KPMG commissioned by the Irish Farmers Journal concluded that a 21% emissions cut would result in 10,000 job losses, while a 30% cut would result in over 56,000 job losses and reduced output of nearly €4bn.
However, while those in the industry warn any scaling back to Irish agriculture will damage family livelihoods, the target for agriculture is significantly lower than other sectors.
It’s understood the building industry is earmarked for a 56% targetted reduction, while transport is expected to almost halve emissions, with a 40%-50% target and a sizeable 60%-80% reduction targeted for the energy sector.
The plans completed the cabinet subcommittee stage on Wednesday evening and will pass through the full cabinet this morning. An announcement is expected late this afternoon.
Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue said: “It’s clear from the Programme for Government that the ambitions for agriculture as part of the Climate Action Plan will be lower than other sectors.
“This is due to the unique status of Irish agriculture in the overall national economy as well as specific science around agriculture. While the sectoral targets are not yet published, the targets for agriculture will be fair and proportionate. Agriculture will continue to play its part, but I am confident our target will be proportionate to what we can deliver.
“I believe that Ireland is the sustainable food capital of the world. Using our Food Vision 2030 roadmap, we will support our sector to reach new highs and develop new markets.
“We will produce top-quality, safe and nutritious food growing our exports to €21bn by the end of the decade.
“Central to this is the protection of farm incomes. Farm families are the bedrock of our sector, and I will continue to back them to keep farming and to keep producing that food we are known for around the world.”
Figures from the Environmental Protection Agency show Irish Agriculture was directly responsible for 37.1% of national greenhouse gas emissions in 2020, mainly methane from livestock, and nitrous oxide due to the use of nitrogen fertiliser and manure management, with the 1.4% increase in emissions last year linked to increased fertiliser use and liming.
Irish Farmers Association members have said they will take to Dublin in response to highlight the importance of farming to the Irish economy.
“Farm families are genuinely fearful about what the future holds. We hear all of these high-level targets being announced, but we have no clarity about what this will mean at farm level. I’m inviting all farm families to attend the event,” IFA president Tim Cullinan said.
“Farmers have families too, and they are very conscious of the climate challenge and the need for farmers to play their part. But it can’t decimate our incomes. It must provide a future that is economically and socially sustainable, as well as being environmentally sustainable..
“Recent Government policy proposals, including those on the CAP, are all about reducing production and adding cost.
“The CAP is there to support farmers to produce food. It cannot be expected to fund climate action as well. The Government needs to come forward with a proper plan, with proper funding behind it.
“We have decided to come to Dublin on a Sunday because we want to limit disruption to the people of Dublin, who we believe are well disposed toward the farming community. We want to send a positive message about what we do and how important that is in terms of producing high-quality food; supporting rural Ireland; and contributing to the Irish economy as a whole.
“The farming and food sector employs 300,000 people across the country and contributed €13bn in exports in 2020. Outside of Dublin and the mid-east region, the sector provides between 10% and 14% of employment. This is being forgotten in a rush to sterilise Irish farming.
“If we produce less food in Ireland, more will be produced in countries with a higher carbon footprint, which will increase global warming. We believe that with the right supports, we can reduce methane emissions by using available technologies but all this talk of cutting the so-called ‘national herd’ is really worrying farmers.”.
Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association President Pat McCormack warned that reducing agricultural productivity in Ireland would only result in carbon leakage, wherein reduced production here is met with increased production in parts of the world where farming has a higher carbon footprint.
“How do we go and ask Irish dairy farmers to spend a fortune on equipment lowering their emissions and reducing their income to meet a very short and arbitrary timeline, while China, India and Russia — who together account for something like a third of global emissions — either don’t commit at all or give themselves timelines longer by decades than those our Government is binding us to?” Mr McCormack said.
“We’re not saying that this is an excuse to do nothing; we’re ready to play more than our part and we grasp the urgency of the issue, but COP26 seems to always dodge around the truth that there has to be some positive consequences for individual states doing what’s right and negative consequences for those states that do not, or who delay doing the right thing.”
