Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 25:

In page 16, to delete line 32 and substitute the following:

“(S.I. No. 477 of 2011).

(5) Regulations under subsection (1) shall not apply to planting on peat soils where the climate change implications are unclear.”,”.

This amendment seeks to limit the operation of the unlicensed planting of forestry enabled by these provisions so that it cannot happen on peat soils, where the effects on climate change are complex and often the opposite of what we are trying to achieve in respect of climate change, in the context the Minister establishes with these changes. They should make reference to the best scientific advice we have available to us from the February 2022 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, report on the negative consequences for climate change from poorly considered afforestation and afforestation on peat soils. We have heard of maladaptation when it comes to planting on peat soils.

The amendment seeks to address the issue of afforestation on peat soils where the climate change implications are unclear. The Climate Change Advisory Council advised of its concerns about unintended emissions and warned against planting on peat soils.While the council said that it was supportive of enhanced afforestation as an offset for emissions in the agricultural land use sector, it highlighted the risks associated with the "poor siting of, mono-species afforestation". The council stated in its carbon budget technical report: "Afforestation needs to be properly planned to ensure it does not result in unintended emissions or negatively impact biodiversity or water quality and should not, for example, be undertaken on peatlands which would turn a present-day carbon sink into a future carbon source." We have heard at length, both at the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action and, to a lesser extent, at the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, that the best thing that we can do with peatlands is to re-wet them, where possible, and convert them back into carbon sinks. The afforestation of peatlands is, therefore, not the best use of that land and of addressing our carbon emissions.

The Environmental Pillar's letter, of 2 March, to Senators on these provisions expressed their extreme concern. They reflected that the Climate Change Advisory Council's view and advice on the dangers of poorly considered and located afforestation stating: "This is supported by a growing body of international research which highlights that the Government's approach of using overly simplistic targets for land-use change such as the number of trees planted or annual afforestation rates, can be misleading, contributing to policy failure, misuse of carbon offsets and even increase greenhouse gas emissions." The simplistic target-based approach is exactly what we are trying to mitigate against with this amendment in order that we get the best outcomes and avoid the worst by limiting the planting of unlicensed forestry on peat soils so they that must go through a stricter licensing regime. Then we can all be sure that the legal assessments necessary are conducted and the public can properly have a say in the environmental decision-making.

I have explained the rationale behind the amendment. It is based on the best science and on the advice given by the Climate Change Advisory Council. It takes on board what the IPCC has said about maladaption and the concerns expressed by the Environmental Pillar. I hope that the Minister of State will consider accepting this amendment.