An emissions-reduction target of 22% for agriculture is the “absolute maximum” the sector can bear, the president of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA), Dermot Kelleher has said.
The ICSA president stressed the need for balance in deciding a reduction target, saying that common sense must prevail when it comes to the emissions ceiling for the agriculture sector.
“Ireland’s vital national interests are dependent on getting the right balance between food security, energy security and climate-change targets. Equally, rural communities are totally dependent on a vibrant agriculture sector in both social and economic terms.
“This cannot be sacrificed for the sake of kudos from the European Commission at a time when large EU member states, such as Germany, are ramping up coal production in light of the war in Ukraine,” Kelleher said.
Kelleher was speaking as discussions continue before Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan will bring the sectoral emissions-reduction targets before Cabinet.
Under the Climate Action Plan, Ireland is legally bound to reduce its emissions by 51% across the economy by 2030. The agriculture sector will have to cut its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by between 22% and 30%.
Economic and social impacts
The ICSA president described recent farmer protests in the Netherlands as a wake-up call for EU governments, that people will not accept an “unfair burden being imposed on a narrow sector of society”.
Kelleher said it makes no sense to set unattainable targets and alienate tens of thousands of famers in the decision-making process. He commented: “All of us are in this climate emergency together and that should mean making pragmatic decisions together.
“This is not what is happening however, and farmers are increasingly frustrated by attempts to force an unworkable green agenda on them that fails to consider the real economic and social impacts.”
He raised concerns that an emissions-reduction target at the higher end of the range will destroy entire communities, and outsource production into counties outside the EU.
The agriculture sector is worth €14 billion in terms of exports and many more billions in terms of spin-off employment and taxes, according to the ICSA president.
“It is not in our vital national interest to cast this to one side in the pursuit of unachievable targets. A 22% target is already overly fraught with difficulties; there is no point in completely crushing the viability of the sector with anything more than that,” Kelleher said.