Just days after Ireland launched its Climate Change Plan, the president of a farm lobby group has expressed his fury and outrage at EU leaders in relation to a deal that could “completely undermine” the targets set out in an effort to reduce climate change.
The president of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) Pat McCormack said: “How are we meant to take our climate plan seriously when the EU is considering concluding an agreement that could result in a catastrophic escalation in the forest clearance that is the basis of South American beef production?”
McCormack said it was “impossible to comprehend” how people were meant to react to the news that the EU would “effectively be party to an agreement that would act as an incentive for South American countries, to hugely ramp-up destruction of native forest and jungle”.
What is the point in urging the public and EU farmers to change practices if we are to deal with climate change while agreeing to a deal that’s going to see one of the planet’s most blatant environmental threats actually worsen?
Continuing, he said: “This is surreal and the Irish Government and all other member states just have to make a decision here that reflects the opinions of the EU’s populations and the overwhelming evidence of the science.
“Either suspend the Mercosur agreement indefinitely or take beef and food production completely out of any consideration.”
Concluding, McCormack said: “A Mercosur agreement is even worse than stopping any forward progress – it will be a huge step backwards – and again highlights the massive contradictions in EU policy.”