Missing the point on tackling climate change

YOU report that the IFA and the Friends of Earth have different views of the proposed climate change bill.

But both have missed the point. Net greenhouse emissions can only come from change of land use; methane produced by cows is broken down in the atmosphere and the carbon is reabsorbed by growing pastures. This should be obvious; ruminants have been around for a long time without any change in CO2 levels. Similarly, changes in forestry are only a once-off carbon sink or sequestration. Agricultural global warming comes only from fossil fuels which are for fertiliser feedstock and manufacture and by the use of machinery. But whereas the contribution from agriculture is exaggerated, the contribution from transport is downplayed because the manufacture of vehicles and infrastructure is not included. We can’t live without food, but we can with less transport. The answer is organic farming, fewer food-miles and transport reduction.

But to claim, based on government plans, such as doubling traffic and increasing electricity consumption over a 20-year period, that we are going to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 and 80% by 2050 is either plain stupid or deceitful. If it happens, it will be by default because fossil fuels have become too expensive or unavailable.

Michael Job

Glengarriff

Co Cork