There have been contrasting responses from some politicians following the publication of a report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today (Friday, July 14), which indicates that agricultural emissions have decreased by 1.2%.
Overall, Ireland’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions fell by 1.9% in 2022 compared to 2021. Emissions dropped in all key sectors except transport which increased by 6%, the EPA said.
Social Democrats spokesperson for climate, Jennifer Whitmore TD, has described the findings of the report as “disappointing, but not surprising”.
“Emissions have come down by 1.9% in all sectors except transport. While any reduction is welcome, we need to be realistic about the scale of the climate crisis and acknowledge that we are not seeing sufficient cuts in our carbon emissions,” Deputy Whitmore said.
“We know we need a 6-7% reduction in carbon emissions annually if we are serious about meeting our overall targets.
“Just two years in to our carbon budget for 2021 to 2025, we have already used nearly half. In order to make up for previous failures to reach our targets, we now need to make an annual reduction of 12.4% to meet our carbon reduction targets for this period.”
The Social Democrats TD said that such a level of reduction is going to be “near impossible”.
“It is also important to note that the reductions in residential and agriculture, while welcome, are not driven by government policy,” the TD added.
“These reductions result from higher energy prices and a mild winter. There are significant questions to be asked about what will happen when energy prices go back to pre-2023 rates.
“The reductions we are seeing are reactionary. We are not seeing a well-planned, well-managed market shift led by the government to sustain long-term reductions in carbon emissions,” Whitmore added.
Emissions reduction
Meanwhile, Fine Gael Senator Tim Lombard took a different view of the EPA report.
He said farmers across the country are leading by example with agriculture’s carbon footprint dropping.
The Cork senator said the EPA confirming the decrease in GHG emissions from agriculture highlights the constructive and common-sense approach taken by all involved in the sector.
“Today we see a report from the EPA showing a welcome 1.9% decrease in Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions from agriculture have decreased by 1.2%,” Senator Lombard said.
“This puts an end to suggestions from some quarters that Ireland’s emissions are increasing and in particular, that farmers are not doing their bit.
“The reduction from the agricultural sector is a direct result of the changes in practice and new technologies which farmers have embraced and should be acknowledged as such,” Lombard added.