The Minister for Agriculture should review the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets that have been set for Irish agriculture, despite Ireland’s climate change ambitions, Laois-Offaly Independent TD, Carol Nolan has urged.
Nolan believes farmers are not getting enough recognition for the role they play in mitigating the impact of climate change and has called on the government to ensure that the farming industry is “adequately supported”.
The Laois-Offaly TD said she did not support the government’s plan to reduce levels of greenhouse gas production within Irish agriculture.
Earlier this year the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, detailed that the government had agreed “a pathway” to a 51% cut in economy wide emissions by 2030.
He also confirmed in July 2022 that the emissions ceiling for agriculture was set at a level requiring a 25% reduction by 2030.
The Laois-Offaly TD said she is of the view that the 2030 targets would not have been introduced if Minister Eamon Ryan had not been part of the coalition government.
“The sector can and will play an important role in mitigating the impact of climate change over the coming years,” Nolan said.
“But the potential of the industry to produce food on a sustainable basis must also be recognised in full.
“Ireland is already more efficient at producing food than many other countries around the world.”
The Laois-Offaly TD has also warned that any reduction in overall food output levels would have a severe, knock-on effect across rural Ireland.
She said she fully supports the steps being taken by farmers to put their side of the climate change debate into the public domain but she feels that farmers currently do not receive the recognition that is warranted.
“Farmers throughout Ireland are actively working to sequester very large quantities of carbon, for which they must be fully credited,” she added.
The Laois-Offaly TD is keen to highlight the efficiency of Irish agriculture in a global context and is urging that that Irish food output must be maintained.
“Food security is crucially important, moving forward. Ireland has a key role to play in meeting this need into the future,” she said.
“Crucially, our farming sectors must be provided with a totally level playing field when it comes to exporting our produce.”
The Offaly-based politician is backing a new initiative to highlight the climate change message which features a roadside billboard campaign located on the N7, close to Kill in Co. Kildare.
The billboard’s key theme is: ‘Promote Irish Farming – to Decrease Global Warming’.
It has been estimated that almost 100,000 cars could pass by the site of the climate change billboard every day.