The United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres has called for the decarbonisation of agriculture to be sped up.
He was speaking today (May, 2) as part of the 14th Petersberg Climate Dialogue.
The conference which is taking place in Berlin aims to facilitate negotiations leading up to COP28, which is due to take place in November.
The UN Secretary General proposed to the G20 a Climate Solidarity Pact – in which all big emitters make extra efforts to cut emissions, and wealthier countries support emerging economies to be able to do so.
Decarbonisation of agriculture
Last month, Guterres presented a plan to super-charge efforts to achieve decarbonisation through the Acceleration Agenda.
This proposes that all countries hit fast-forward on their ‘net zero’ deadline. It asks developed countries to commit to reaching ‘net zero’ as close as possible to 2040, the limit they should all aim to respect.
“The Acceleration Agenda urges countries to pool their resources, scientific capacities and technologies,” Guterres said.
“It asks them to phase out coal by 2030 in OECD countries and 2040 in all others; to make electricity generation ‘net zero’ by 2035 in developed countries and 2040 in all others, while providing access to electricity for all.
“To stop permitting, funding, and expanding coal, oil and gas – both old and new; and to speed up the decarbonisation of major sectors – from shipping, aviation, and steel, to cement, aluminium, and agriculture – working with the private sector.”
At the end of 2022, Ireland implemented its Climate Action Plan 2023. The actions for agriculture in this plan provide a viable pathway to achieve a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for agriculture by 2030.
These actions are in line with achieving a 51% reduction in Ireland’s overall GHG emissions by 2030, and ‘net zero’ emissions no later than 2050.
At the time, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalgue stated:
“This all-of-government plan commits every sector, including agriculture, to strong climate action.
“In agriculture, the focus is on reducing nitrogen and methane emissions, while increasing carbon capture and storage and contributing in a positive way to the decarbonisation of the energy system.”