Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is not Deputy Barry's turn. It emanates from coal mining, for example, and landfill, as well as agriculture. There are a variety of means. The pledge recognises that countries have varying methane emission profiles and reduction potential and that the energy sector globally has the greatest potential for targeted mitigation by 2030. That is why the US, which has partnered with Europe in this pledge, has singled out its oil and gas industry for particular measures in terms of leakages and so forth, and why Canada, as one of the largest oil and gas producing countries, made a specific pledge in respect of its industry in the coming decade. The positive news yesterday was that so many countries signed up to this pledge, recognising the role of methane, particularly in the shorter term, in exacerbating global warming and being a particularly concerning issue, as has been pointed to by the scientists.

There is no issue as far as I am concerned in Ireland signing up to this pledge and us then playing our part through our climate action plan, which will deal with every sector, as the Deputy stated. It will deal with energy, transport, agriculture, land use and afforestation, for example. It is quite complex in terms of the overall issue of dealing with climate change but this will represent the most detailed approach of any Government in respect of this issue. The Government is sincere about this country taking steps and playing its part in this emergency. That is reflected in our increased commitment, over and above what we committed in the programme for Government to climate finance, for example, which will be very significant for small island developing states and low-income countries. Through agriculture, we will also make our contribution to the reduction of methane and that will be outlined in the climate action plan we will publish tomorrow.

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