Agricultural elements of the Government’s climate action plan, scheduled to be announced by Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment Richard Bruton today, Monday, June 17, are expected to be largely based on Teagasc’s Emissions Roadmap.
It is understood that the plan is being viewed by the cabinet of ministers this morning.
Chair of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine Pat Deering told AgriLand that, following a meeting with Minister Bruton, he understands that the agricultural aspects of the plan will be centred around the agricultural authority’s plan.
We had a conversation with Minister Bruton on Thursday around that whole issue. It’s going to be based around the Teagasc 28-point plan.
“That’s going to be the main element of it,” the chairman said, adding that, while there is talk about sectoral targets, it is as yet unclear how this will pan out.
Deputy Deering noted that the plan is going before a meeting of the cabinet this morning where final adjustments may be made.
“The key element of it is going to be the Teagasc Roadmap, which is broadly in line with the actual Joint Committee recommendation,” he said.
- Agricultural mitigation, through improved breeding, changing fertiliser types and slurry spreading;
- Land use and carbon sequestration through increased broadleaf forestry and improved pasture management; and
- Energy efficiency and fossil fuel displacement through biofuel and anaerobic digestion (AD).
A total of 28 measures were identified by Teagasc to represent a “substantial contribution” to meeting 2030 emissions targets.
“There’s a cabinet meeting this morning; there may be a little bit of adjustments here and there,” the Carlow TD added.