Emissions from agriculture in Ireland will have to be reduced by between 21% and 30% by 2030, Agriland understands.
Under the national Climate Action Plan, the country will have to cut its overall emissions by 51% by the end of this decade, across all sectors of the national economy.
There has been ongoing debate – and concern – over what the burden on agriculture specifically will be.
It now appears that the agriculture sector will be expected to cut its emissions by between 21% and 30% over the next nine years, sectoral sources have indicated.
There has been no official announcement from government as to these details.
It is understood that other sectors have targets that are notably higher than the agriculture sector.
Agreement on emissions targets
Government departments had been engaging with each other over recent weeks on what targets would be allocated to various sectors of the economy.
It is understood that talks on this intensified in the last week and approached a point of agreement.
Now that a target has – seemingly – been arrived at, it will generate much discussion in the agriculture sector over the coming week and months.
Research by Teagasc suggests that a reduction of 35% of agricultural emissions would have been the upper limit of what the sector can achieve.
Speaking last month, former Teagasc director Prof. Gerry Boyle said that 35% is the “maximum that can be delivered“.
Boyle said that, in the agriculture sector specifically, 20% to 25% of emissions can be mitigated “with a massive effort and the whole reorientation of the advisory service”.
A further 10% reduction may be possible through technological solutions to offset methane emissions, though Boyle added that he is “less certain” about being able secure that additional reduction.
Stay tuned to Agriland for more on agriculture’s emissions reduction target for 2030.