Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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115. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to recent Teagasc research (details supplied) into the sequestering of carbon on Irish farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9817/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I welcome the research work of Teagasc on improving our emissions data for the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector. Greenhouse gas emissions and removals associated with LULUCF are reported in Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions inventory prepared by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These new emission factors will be fully reflected in the inventory in due course.

This research underscores the importance of having robust scientific evidence and is an example of the uncertainty that is evident in the LULUCF sector with regard to the underlying data and emissions factors. This uncertainty is being reduced through several research projects such as this Teagasc work across a number of LULUCF land-type categories.

In June 2022, with work on the sectoral emissions ceilings (SEC) almost complete, the EPA published its latest emissions projections, showing net LULUCF emissions as being projected to rise to 11 MtCO2eq. in 2030 from a previously forecast figure of 7 MtCO2 eq. in 2030. This significant development in projected net LULUCF emissions materially altered the parameters for setting the LULUCF SEC, and it was decided to defer finalising the LULUCF SEC for up to 18 months to allow for incorporation of these changes.

However, pending finalising the LULUCF SEC, the Climate Action Plan 2023 commits to accelerating measures and actions for achieving emissions reductions in the sector. These actions include increasing our annual afforestation rates from approximately 2,000 hectares (ha) per annum in 2022 to 8,000 ha per annum from 2023 onwards; promoting forest management initiatives in both public and private forests to increase carbon sinks and stores; improving our management for carbon sequestration of 200,000 ha of grasslands on mineral soils; reducing the management intensity of grasslands on 25,000 ha of drained organic soils; and continuing the rehabilitation of 33,000 ha of peatlands as part of the Bord na Móna Enhanced Decommissioning, Rehabilitation and Restoration Scheme and EU LIFE People and Peatlands programmes.