'A shocking failure': Government to ask farmers for 25% emissions reduction

It comes after ministers failed on Wednesday to come to an agreement during the last scheduled Cabinet meeting before the summer recess.

Farmers will be asked to reduce emissions by 25% which will take into account a number of measures

Farmers will have to cut their greenhouse emissions by a quarter by 2030 under a deal hammered out by the three main Government leaders this afternoon.

The Cabinet is due to meet remotely in the next hour to discuss and sign off on a memo, which was drafted after a protracted discussion between the three coalition parties.

While farmers will be expected to reduce carbon emissions by 25% over the eight years, it is expected that a significant suite of supports will be introduced from this year's budget onwards to incentivise them to make changes to how they use their land.

It is understood that included in this will be supported over the coming years to develop anaerobic digestion systems on farms and increased grants of up to 60% to install solar panels on the roofs of sheds and other farm buildings.

Increasing the number of land farmers have in forestry will also be incentivised as will measures that will improve river water quality.

A Government source said the financial package offered to farmers to get to the 25% target would have to be significant as it is believed that this is the only way the agriculture sector will be able to achieve this level of reduction.

The agreement comes after lengthy wrangling between Green Party Minister Eamon Ryan, who had been pushing strongly to set agriculture emissions at the upper limit of 30%, and his coalition partners. 

Mr Ryan had faced significant pushback from Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue, as well as Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil backbenchers, who had argued in favour of a target closer to 22%.

Both Ministers had come closer to an agreement in recent days, with Mr McConalogue holding out on 24% and Mr Ryan arguing for 26%.

'Enormous blow to the climate goals'

Social Democrats climate spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore said the 25% reduction in carbon emissions for the agricultural sector represents "a shocking failure" by Government to listen to the science.

"This deal clearly demonstrates the Government are not prepared to, or capable of, making the tough decisions required to deal with climate change," she said.

This was echoed by People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith, who said that the announcement amounts to an “enormous blow to the climate goals and environmental movement in this country”.

She said the deal “represented a victory by big agri-food business interests who have profited enormously from the current model and not farmers, the majority of whom are losing out under this failed model and will continue to lose out. It is this export-driven model which is driving emissions rises.” 

She added: “This is not what the science tells us needs to happen, not what the extremes in weather are telling us needs to happen and not what the climate movement expects from the Greens in government."