Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has expressed concern over the definition of “restoring” peatlands under the proposed EU Nature Restoration Law.
Speaking at a meeting of agriculture ministers in the Council of the EU yesterday (Monday, November 21), the minister called for a clearer definition to be provided on what “restoring” peatlands means under the law.
The proposal outlines that, for organic soils in agricultural use constituting drained peatlands, member states shall put in place restoration measures.
Those measures shall be in place on at least:
- 30% of such areas by 2030, of which at least a quarter shall be rewetted;
- 50% of such areas by 2040, of which at least half shall be rewetted;
- 70% of such areas by 2050, of which at least half shall be rewetted.
The minister is understood to be concerned over the difference between “restoring” and “rewetting” these soils, as the distinction between the two is not explicitly clear in the proposed law.
Minister McConalogue told his fellow EU ministers and Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevicius that “there are a number of issues that require detailed consideration, including that clear definitions must be provided, particularly with regard to the meaning of restoration”.
Other concerns the minister highlighted include the fact that the data available at present “is not adequate to provide a reliable estimate of areas potentially impacted by marine or agricultural rewetting targets”.
“This makes it difficult to consider the proposed timeframe to commence monitoring the reporting,” he said.
Minister McConalogue also said that the impact assessment accompanying the proposal “does not substantively assess the likely impacts of food security or the impacts on rural communities”.
As well as that, the minister told the council that it is “completely unrealistic to propose that CAP [Common Agricultural Policy] funding, which is currently fully committed in line with members states’ CAP Strategic Plans, could be the main funding instrument to deliver these extremely ambitious targets”.
The minister commented: “Ireland is considering this proposal. However, it is clear that it gives rise to many challenges from the perspective of agriculture, forestry and the marine, not least in the context of the need to ensure food security.”