Written answers

Wednesday, 6 February 2019

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Climate Change Policy

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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35. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans and the timetable to implement the recommendations of a Teagasc report (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5727/19]

Photo of Michael CreedMichael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The Teagasc report “An Analysis of Abatement Potential of greenhouse Gas Emissions in Irish Agriculture 2021-2030”, published last summer, highlights the potential for GHG abatement to limit the emissions from the sector over the period 2021 to 2030 based on current scientific knowledge against the likely level of future greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions if no action is taken. Effectively this report identifies a toolbox of options to inform the type of abatement measures we need to focus on with a view to achieving the 2030 greenhouse gas emission targets.

My Department and its agencies are currently in the process of assessing the feasibility of the measures identified in this report and to what extent they could be mobilised at farm-level including importantly, how they can contribute to the national inventory on emissions. This assessment will be key to a number of parallel processes including:

- the development of a CAP strategic plan. Higher ambition on environmental and climate action are part of the new CAP, post 2020, and it is proposed that 40% of the overall CAP budget will contribute to climate action. This will require farmers to achieve a higher level of environmental ambition through both mandatory and incentive-based measures.

- the development of a new “All of Government Plan” to tackle climate disruption which is being led by my colleague, Minister Bruton, which is underway.

My Department and I will continue to work alongside Government colleagues to ensure that the sector continues to play its part in tackling the causes of climate change and commits to measures and actions to support our approach to carbon neutrality without compromising capacity for sustainable food production.

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