Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 2 November 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action

Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (Resumed)

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am in the precincts of Leinster House. I missed the beginning of the presentation as I was in the Dáil Chamber. I would like to get an idea of the payment metrics for ecosystem services. What is a farmer paid for a hectare at a B rating or for reductions in carbon, biogenic methane or whatever it is? Is there a settled calculus on this and a settled verification that could allow this to be scaled up?

My second question is about processors and retailers who are driving on the basis of never mind the quality feel the width. Surely they are susceptible to the same kind of pressures that are now being exercised through the European Green Deal right across the sector? Should we not be embracing them as part of this to start paying premiums for quality premium sourced materials?

I would like to understand the difference between the BRIDE scheme and some of the EPA and IFA smart farming initiatives which focus on nitrogen, the mix of grasses sown, the manure spreading, the breeding, the health of the herd and all of these good things which are shown to improve the bottom line and certainly reduce the carbon impact. Are these different things or are they part of the same family of approaches?

I know the issue is now focusing on methane because in the EU inventory it is treated as its value over 100 years, which understates its impact in the shorter 20-year horizon we are actually dealing in. How is this issue of paying for biogenic methane reduction to be embraced? It can be done in many ways, including by better breeding and earlier slaughter. Everyone focuses on herd reduction but that is only one of many areas. I think the Government has turned its face against herd reduction anyhow. How are we to address this issue of pricing methane in Mr. Sheehan's view of putting proper incentives in place that encourage more environmentally sound farming?

That is probably enough for the moment. I would comment, as Dr. Moran did, that border equalisation is very much part of the approach of the EU. Mercosur, as I understand, is stalled because of the lack of equivalent environmental standards in some of those countries. This is very much on the radar of the European Union and I think that will also filter into the views of processors and retailers.

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