Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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98. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the impact which the failure to reach an average of 8,000 ha per annum of newly planted forest as outlined in the Climate Action Plan 2019 will have on Ireland's climate mitigation plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40686/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Forestry plays an important role in climate change mitigation by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, substituting materials made from non-renewable fossil fuels, and storing carbon in long lived timber products. Ireland has increased the area under forest to 11% today, and these forests are already making a significant contribution to our national climate targets.

Afforestation rates have declined in recent years and have not matched the 8,000 ha per annum target set out in the Climate Action Plan 2019. Although afforestation over the next 10 years will contribute to achieving compliance against our 2030 climate targets, the forests planted within the last 30 years will provide the majority of the sequestration over this decade. Given the lead time for newly planted forests to become significant carbon sinks, we must ensure that afforestation rates match and exceed current levels over the next ten years and out to 2050 as we strive for climate neutrality.

The changes in the forest sink over time are due to a number of factors such as age, class, stock, levels of deforestation, and harvesting and forest management practices.