Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 54:

In page 9, between lines 11 and 12, to insert the following: “(ia) such actions may contribute towards complying with the carbon budget and sectoral emission ceiling either through a reduction in emissions or the sequestration of greenhouse gasses,”.

The Minister will appreciate there is frustration about the fact that the tools used to assess our overall emissions are not sophisticated or up to date in acknowledging the work done in the form of sequestration, the availability of carbon sinks and the work done by such sinks.This amendment seeks to further acknowledge that work and to provide that it is appropriate that it be acknowledged as well. The equation we have is lopsided at the minute. It considers emissions but is not yet sophisticated enough to account for the carbon sinks and the sequestration. I am referring particularly to agriculture and other areas that have been doing this work for years and decades. People are frustrated that it is not adequately taken into account at this point in time. The fear is that decisions will be made that are not well informed and that do not account for the level of positive work happening in that sector and other sectors as well. There is also a point there about the degree to which we are in a position at this point in time to appropriately and adequately assess emissions and the level of sequestration.