The Green Party has said that agriculture has a "mountain to climb" to meet its legally binding emissions targets for 2030. 

The comments follow the publication of Sectoral Emissions for 2025 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this week.

The party was critical too of the delayed publication of Phase 2 of the Land Use Review.

Green Party agriculture spokesperson, Senator Malcolm Noonan said: “The rate of decrease in agriculture emissions for 2025 (0.2%) is disappointing, but worryingly the reason behind the slow pace of decline is a huge increased use in nitrogen fertiliser.

"This could have a knock- on impact on water quality too.

"Both issues of emissions in agriculture and water quality are inter-dependent and it is clear that a radical departure from current farming systems is required to embed resilience into the Irish farming system."

Tackling emissions

Noonan said that the delayed publication of Phase 2 of the Land Use Review was a "missed opportunity" not to embed recommendations into the Nature Restoration Plan public consultation process, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions projections and the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) review currently underway in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

“At a time of climate breakdown, business as usual is no longer an option," Noonan continued.

"While there is potential in low emissions slurry spreading, annual limits in nitrogen fertiliser and other additional measures proposed by the EPA, consideration must be given towards incentivising regenerative farming, farming with nature and a less intensive model that adequately pays farmers for nature, water and climate measures that will further reduce emissions from the sector."

The Land Use Review advocates a ‘multifunctional land use system’ according to the Green Party.

The party has said that the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan must move towards innovation to deliver co-benefits for climate, nature and water and viable incomes for farm families.

Agriculture emissions decreased by 0.2% or 0.04 Mt CO₂eq in 2025.

This was primarily due to a 3.3% reduction in cattle numbers offset by a 12.7% increase in nitrogen fertiliser use and a 4.8% increase in milk production.