Reducing emissions in agriculture is one of the most challenging areas for Ireland meeting its targets for climate action, and it’s more commonly associated with polarised opinions and disagreement than a shared or positive view of the future.
NESC [National Economic and Social Council ] has spent the past year and a half in dialogue with farmers, environmental groups, community and voluntary organisations, employers and trade unions to try to find agreement on how to meet environmental objectives in ways that are socially equitable and economically viable.
Despite the complexity and political sensitivity of the issue, NESC has navigated a consensus on what a just transition in the agriculture and land use sector looks like and recommends that the government implements the findings in the report with urgency.
The need for a transition in agriculture and land use is clear – climate change, biodiversity loss and species extinction are causing widespread adverse impact in every region of the world and are disproportionately impacting the most vulnerable people and natural systems.
Emissions targets for agriculture
Ireland has a legally binding target of a climate-neutral economy no later than 2050, and to a reduction in emissions of 51% by 2030 (compared to 2018 levels).
All sectors are required to contribute, and for agriculture, this means a 25% reduction in emissions is required by 2030, with targets for land use to be agreed following the completion of a Land Use Review.
In comparison to other sectors however, climate action in agriculture and land use is particularly challenging.
Reducing emissions in this area requires more than changes in behaviours or consumption or investment patterns – it is about how people earn their living, generate income and how they use, largely, family lands and resources.
The 2022 Census reported that there are 135,037 farms in Ireland and almost 280,000 people are involved in some way in farm work.
So while the challenge is about the environment and climate change, it is also about deep and lasting economic and social and cultural change in our rural communities. It is about large numbers of jobs right across rural Ireland.
It is also different because of the complexity. There are few broad-based technological solutions, and some of the measures that will be needed will be hard to do.
Local context has a huge impact, there are multiple production systems, huge differences in farm sizes and economic profiles and significant variations in skills and levels of education; and in the ages of farmers.
Acknowledging these differences and complexity is the key to making progress; not an excuse for inaction.
NESC report
A new report by NESC takes the challenges and complexities seriously. The report is an agreed set of recommendations between farmer, environmental, community and voluntary, employer and trade union organisations.
The agreement is on the need – urgently – to work together to make a just transition, one that is fair and inclusive, happen.
This, rather than a sense of farmer and environmental groups or interests being at cross purposes, is a key message.
Of course, there are still differences of opinion on many areas, but NESC can point to positive solutions for a way forward based on making the most of the opportunities of transition, whilst actively managing the potential costs.
First, there is a need to deepen engagement with farming and rural communities and other stakeholders on bringing about transition; and to focus this on specific issues or challenges, such as the development of land-use policy in Ireland.
Transition will continue to be sensitive and challenging and engaging people will be critical.
NESC work on transition on agriculture and land use should now inform and shape the next stages in the development of the land use review.
Second, Ireland needs to scale up and more fully align farm advisory services with environmental objectives and ensure bespoke ecological expertise can be provided at farm level.
People need the necessary knowledge, skills, and capacity to adopt new approaches or to consider more land use or income diversification options.
Third, the ability to account for and value the vital ecosystem services (such as soil sequestration of carbon, water, biodiversity) that farmers manage on their land is critical to supporting more sustainable agriculture and land use.
There is a need accelerate work on accounting for nature, and – while recognising the importance of current schemes – the financial resources available from EU, public and private sources to reward farmers for protecting and enhancing ecosystem services should be significantly increased.
Fourth, there are economic opportunities for diversifying agricultural and land use into areas such as renewable energy, forestry and new bio-based products (such as bio-based fertilisers, feed and materials for construction).
Diversifying agricultural production can reduce emissions while generating new income, but issues such as socio-cultural barriers, policy inconsistencies and uncertainty about future markets for alternatives are significant barriers.
Further work to reduce uncertainty around diversification options experienced by farmers and other stakeholders including research to understand and address social or cultural barriers, addressing areas of policy incoherence and supportive policies to share risk and guide investment in emerging markets.
Fifth, it must be recognised that transition will involve costs, and that it is critical to recognise these costs, to share them equitably and to address or mitigate them.
It is important that the costs are identified and that work is undertaken to ensure that they are shared among primary producer groups and farmers, as well as with actors along the supply chain.
Standards and certification and the efforts of state agencies, in particular Bord Bia, and companies can play a key role in developing, monitoring and ultimately better incentivising practices that improve environmental outcomes.
Governance
These, and other actions in the report, must be effectively coordinated. There must be oversight with targets and plans, with appropriate timeframes, and monitoring and reporting on issues such as the take-up of measures.
There needs to a clear and consistent approach to communicating the scale of the challenge, the actions, progress and emerging challenges.
There must also be renewed attention to ensuring that financial mechanisms, of the EU, state and privately, match the ambition for transition that is needed and that is evident within the agricultural sector.
The council recommends the establishment of an Implementation Group for Climate Transition in Agriculture in 2023 to consider the recommendations arising from this report.
This should prioritise a Just Transition in Agriculture and Land Fund to consolidating available carbon tax revenues and other public resources.
The stakeholders involved in NESC considered that we are at a moment of opportunity, where opinions are shifting, and a way forward could be within reach.
Taking actions in the areas recommended can begin to make that opportunity a reality.
From Larry O’Connell, director of NESC.