Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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183. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the extent to which focus is being made to meet climate action requirements with particular reference to meeting carbon emission targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28760/22]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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184. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the degree to which Ireland is progressing towards meeting emission targets; if sufficient progress can be recorded at this stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28761/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 183 and 184 together.

The climate ambition in the Programme for Government has been placed on a statutory footing through the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021. The Act commits Ireland to achieve a climate neutral economy by no later than 2050, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 51% by 2030 compared to 2018 levels.

The significantly strengthened legally binding framework under the Act, with clear targets and commitments set in law, will help ensure that Ireland achieves its climate goals and obligations.

As part of this strengthened framework, the Government published the Climate Action Plan 2021 last November. Climate Action Plan 2021 identifies the measures, actions and policies required to to achieve our emissions reductions targets, while also setting out indicative ranges of emissions reductions across each sector of the economy.

The Government also published an accompanying Annex of Actions to support the delivery of Climate Action Plan 2021. The Annex sets out the detailed actions and measures, with timelines included, that are required to drive delivery and ensure our emissions reduce. Furthermore, the Annex identifies the key Departments, state bodies and other key stakeholders that will oversee and implement these actions.

The Climate Action Plan will be updated annually with the measures and actions refined and amended to account for progress made in the area of climate action. Future iterations of the Climate Action Plans will also reflect the recently approved carbon budgets, which provide a framework to ensure progress is made in reaching our 2030 and 2050 targets.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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185. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the full extent of carbon and other emissions that occur on an annual basis in this jurisdiction; the total requirement of non-arable, wetlands or forestry available to counter this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28762/22]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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186. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the extent to which carbon sinks are available in this country with a view to combatting emissions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28763/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 185 and 186 together.

The latest national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as reported publicly by the EPA for 2020 are 64.64 Mt CO₂-eq of which the land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector contributed net GHG emissions of 6.93 Mt CO₂-eq. To meet our climate objective to reduce GHG emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels, we must reduce GHG emissions across all sectors while enhancing our management of the LULUCF sector to optimise options for carbon sequestration.

The LULUCF sector consists of the following categories: forest land, cropland, grassland, wetlands, settlements, other land and harvested wood products. It is currently the only sector which has the potential to sequester CO₂. In 2015, the EU LULUCF sector reported a net carbon sink of about 309 Mt CO2-eq. This was dominated by CO2 sequestered by existing and new forests. In contrast, Ireland is currently a net emitter of greenhouse gasses (GHG) from the LULUCF sector.

This is largely due to the GHG emissions from grasslands and wetlands, resulting from drainage of organic soils, being greater than the sink from forest land and harvested wood products. All our LULUCF categories have the potential to be managed as net sinks for GHG.

The Climate Action Plan 2021 set out a range of LULUCF policies and measures which will establish a pathway for this sector to become a sustainable net sink in the long-term, supporting our transition to a carbon neutral economy and society no later than 2050. Actions to reduce Ireland’s net LULUCF emissions include:

- Increasing our annual afforestation rates and promoting forest management initiatives to increase carbon sinks and stores.

- Reducing management intensity (water table management) of grasslands on drained organic soils.

- Improving the management grasslands on mineral soils for carbon sequestration.

- Increasing the inclusion of cover crops in tillage and increasing the incorporation of straw to at least 10% of the tillage (cereal) area.

- Rehabilitating 65,000 hectares of peatlands across numerous landowners and projects.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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187. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the extent to which he continues to make contact with the Minister for Agriculture with a view to ensuring the adequate measures are taken to reduce carbon emissions without reducing the agri-food production sector which could lead to a national food shortage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28764/22]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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188. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will ensure that measures to address carbon emissions do not damage the productive agricultural and manufacturing sectors here; if best practice in other jurisdictions to meet such requirements will be followed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28765/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 187 and 188 together.

As Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications I continue to work closely with all Ministers to deliver policies to achieve our emissions targets. Furthermore, my Department is working across all of Government, including the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, on the need to address our carbon emissions. My Department consults with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on a number of policy matters, including for strategic policies such as the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan, and Food Vision 2030.

Presently my Department, is working across Government on sectoral emissions ceilings as required by the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021. This shall set the emission limits for all sectors of our economy over the next two Carbon Budget periods.

Climate Action Plan 2021 sets out an ambitious emissions reduction range for the agriculture sector of between 22% and 30% by 2030, compared with a 2018 baseline. The achievement of this target will require significant innovation and effort, representing a transformative change for our agri-food industries. I am confident that the sector will fully exploit the opportunities of the transition without compromising on sustainable food production.

To address emissions in manufacturing my Department is engaging with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment on the sectoral emissions ceiling for industry which includes the agri-food sector. Together we are reviewing the measures agreed in the Climate Action Plan 2021 to ensure that they can deliver the emissions reductions required. To meet requirements such as technical feasibility and cost effectiveness and their wider economic impact.