Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I commend my colleagues, Deputies Duncan Smith and Bacik, on bringing this Bill forward. It is an excellent Bill coming the week after a very disappointing COP26. This Bill is a way to ensure greenwashing by large corporations is tackled once and for all. Companies and producers now want to come across as being as green as possible, but the reality is very few of us can really know the true carbon cost of most things we buy in supermarkets or any other stores. Millions are being spent on marketing and public relations to persuade us that products are sustainable or environmentally friendly, but in most cases all we have to rely on their word, their packaging and their advertising.

We need a reliable national standard people can trust. When doing your weekly grocery shopping, it can be all but impossible to know the environmental impact of what you buy. The famous avocado has a major carbon impact, but so too does Brazilian beef. Many companies have started providing a carbon footprint, but we need a measure people can know is independently decided. If we want to seriously transition to a low-carbon economy, it will mean using local products as much as possible. That means the person buying a product needs to know the impact of this asparagus, hazelnut milk or soya product. This Bill is a way to support local producers in Ireland and responsible producers.

It is not just about food either but everything from electronics to housewares and clothes. Rampant consumerism has gone hand in hand with corporate greenwashing. One of the key reasons we want to bring this Bill forward is to support Irish producers. A standardised carbon footprint label will provide people with a clear sense of what they are buying. If it is introduced, this Bill will provide a competitive advantage, especially for Irish food producers. Our agrifood sector is one of our largest employers, providing jobs for more than 300,000 people. It is central to the economic fortunes of rural Ireland and contributes to our food security. We need to do more to reduce our carbon emissions from the sector, but we also need to recognise its true strengths. A robust carbon labelling system will provide a further incentive for farmers who produce more environmentally friendly food.

There is an obsession with the national herd at the moment, which is something that does not really exist. What does exist are tens of thousands of farmers, some big, some small, some intensive and some not. Progress is being made. The recent campaign launched by Teagasc and Bord Bia to create awareness among farmers of the carbon footprint of their farms is very welcome. It is a further move in the right direction. Knowing what farmers' baseline emissions are is necessary so that progress can be recorded. More than 54,000 farmers can get access to their footprint through the farmer feedback report under Bord Bia's quality assurance schemes, which also allows them to benchmark their farms against others of a similar size. We have the Origin Green programme and, combined with information on their carbon footprint, would add further to farmers' credentials. Our horticulture sector is worth nearly €500 million and supports thousands of jobs, but we need to do more to encourage home-grown fruit and vegetables. Carbon labelling for our dairy products would also provide a clear advantage on the international market backed up by a robust system developed by the NSAI.

Ireland can be a world leader on this if we want to be. We can lead the way with a carbon standard. We are asking Irish farmers to cut their carbon emissions, and it will be difficult. Our party's legislation is a way to make it a little easier. We know that adding value to the products made here is the best way to support farming incomes. Providing an incentive to supply less carbon-intensive dairy, beef or any other food is the way forward. Carbon labelling is part of that solution. Research from Italy showed that people preferred to buy dairy products with carbon footprint labels. It also allows for informed purchases and supports more environmentally sustained farming.

As I said at the weekend during our party conference, we need a new deal on climate. We cannot delay any more on climate action. It is a betrayal of the next generation, including my children and everyone else's. Only the State can take the action needed to deliver a just transition for workers and families that unites people rather than divides urban and rural communities, which I cannot stand. This Bill is an important part of working with all communities. By putting carbon labelling on products, we are raising awareness of the steps we in our everyday lives can take to slow climate change. No one person or organisation will solve climate change. It is all about the incremental changes we can all make on a daily basis. This Bill would support our local producers and reward them for low-carbon farming.

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