Professor Jane Stout:

There is a system for systematising environmental data and for producing ecosystem accounts. This is something we are developing through the Natural Capital Ireland forum. This allows all of the biodiversity and ecosystem functions and the benefits derived from those ecosystems to be identified and recognised. That includes biodiversity itself as a benefit but also the co-benefits with regard to production, the provision of food and water, and the regulation of climate, pollination and pest control. These benefits accrue to society and to landowners. This system of accounting for biodiversity is already established and can be used to look for those trade-offs. Through the system, you can look at the knock-on impacts of changing the management of a particular area on these regulating services, including the regulation of climate, on the production of food and on biodiversity itself. There is a system. It is the UN system for environmental economic accounting and ecosystem accounting. We are testing this in a research project with the EPA at the moment.

With regard to the second part of the Deputy's question, which related to benchmarking where farms are with regard to climate and biodiversity footprints, this can also definitely be done. Again, we are currently carrying out a research project in this area which aims to bring this issue of carbon footprints and the issue of biodiversity on farms together, to look at the trade-offs and to quantify the benefits so that a results-based payment such as Dr. Lysaght mentioned can be made possible.