I can’t think of one good reason why the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) would consider going to the COP27 talks in Egypt.
For one thing, they would be seen as a bunch of ‘naysayers’ amongst the world’s ‘uber-green’ luvvies.
And secondly, the real battle on climate change will be fought here in Ireland.
The environment minister remains totally unconvinced about the key role that farming can play in deliver real environmental change.
Moreover, Eamon Ryan doesn’t get the food security message, which the IFA and every other farming organisation want to communicate in the strongest possible terms to the Irish government.
I think Ryan will feel very at home with the so called ‘green intelligentsia’, who look set over-populate one of the world’s most expensive holiday destination in Egypt.
These are the same people who will console themselves with the belief that the gin and tonics they consume while at COP27 have been derived from wholly sustainable plant sources. And, of course, the moon is made of green cheese.
I could see some sense in the IFA making the trip to Egypt if the organisation was wholly at one with the Irish government on climate change policy.
This is hardly the case, a fact that will become totally obvious in pretty short order to the world leaders and others who plan to participate at COP27.
Besides, we all know what Irish agriculture’s response to climate change must be: it’s all about delivering greater levels of efficiency at farm level.
And the real argument here will be centred on persuading the Irish government that the farming sectors are up for the fight.
All of this can be sorted out on Irish soil, not in Sharm El Sheikh, I would suggest.
It’s not the IFA’s job to try and tell the world that Ireland is home to, probably, the most efficient farming industry in the world.
This task falls to the Taoiseach who is already at COP27.
Let’s just hope that Micheál Martin is up to the job in hand.
I would also suggest that the optics associated with an IFA jetting-off to Egypt for a few days in the sun might well send the wrong message out to grass roots farmers back home.