Delivery of forestry goals required for agri sector to reach carbon neutrality
In recent years there has been a substantial decline in afforestation levels with only about 2,000 hectares planted in 2021, this is only 8% of peak planting in 1995.
Research from the University of Galway has shown that the agri sector requires afforestation to be a success in order for the industry to achieve carbon neutrality.
The report, by Professor Cathal O'Donoghue, analyses the opportunities and challenges of delivering national forestry goals to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
The national Climate Action Plan highlights afforestation as the single largest land-based climate change mitigation measure available to Ireland.
Professor O’Donoghue found that the area of new forestry needed to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 is 18,000 hectares per annum.
However, the Climate Action Plan set a target of 8,000 hectares per annum. This is some 10,000 hectares below what is required, according to the research.
According to the new research, the national afforestation policy was a success in Ireland over the past century with 11% of the land area planted.
However, in recent years there has been a substantial decline in afforestation levels with only about 2,000 hectares planted in 2021, this is only 8% of peak planting in 1995. Ireland currently missing the required planting by 16,000 hectares each year.
Professor O’Donoghue stated the importance of meeting forestry goals. “The more we fall short of the afforestation target the greater will be the need to deliver CO2 reductions from other sources including agriculture unless there was a major reduction in animal numbers with consequential economic impacts.”
The report shows that targets for the beef and dairy industry were met early in the 2020 food harvest. However, the forestry target was never achieved.
In his research Professor O'Donoghue found that if the afforestation target had been met, it would have enabled for the carbon neutral expansion of the dairy sector.
The decline in afforestation levels in the past twenty years is resulting in forests becoming a carbon source as opposed to a carbon sink.
The study notes that any delays to planting decisions will have a major impact on the capacity to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Therefore, improvements to the financial incentives for afforestation are recommended as a means of overcoming some of the challenges in relation to replanting.
