Kate O'Connell (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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Fumes from a tractor are a certain type of emission. Cattle produce methane which breaks down. Methane is given a global warming potential of 25 versus carbon. I assume all the witnesses are familiar with that. It means methane is 25 times worse than carbon. I hope the witnesses, as statisticians, will get this. Methane breaks down after 12 years but has a 25 times greater warming effect. That is the concept but it does not take into account that methane breaks down in 12 years. It is not that it continues to rise and is never broken down. There is a process of methane breaking down to carbon. The British Veterinary Association is arguing, as I do, that this variable is wrong. The report attributes a disproportionate level of emissions to agriculture. I fully support the expert climate committee. The report is about culling the heard. My argument would be that if the herd size is left static - I am not suggesting this should be done - the same amount of methane will be produced and it will break down after 12 years. However, it has been given a heating rate 25 times higher than carbon in the current calculations. The British Veterinary Association recently developed an algorithm specifically for livestock which takes into account that methane does not break down to nothing but turns into carbon. However, it has been given a rating that is 25 times worse than carbon. Ultimately, it ends up as carbon after 12 years. If the witnesses are suggesting that the solution to the overheating of the environment is to cull livestock, we will all die of hunger. Separate from that, farmers produce food in this country to a high standard and we are all privileged to eat it. Methane is being given a bad name because it is not as warming as it is alleged to be in the document. The British Veterinary Association questions the current variable and is seeking to have another variable used for livestock. The CSO witnesses might respond on this question.