Farmers make major contribution to reducing carbon emissions – D’Arcy
NOBODY looks after the land and the environment better than the farming sector, Minister of State Michael D’Arcy told the Dáil.
‘We cannot ignore the amount of hedgerows being planted through GLAS and the number of trees being planted by the farming sector. I know people just want to ignore that and what the perception is. The GLAS policy is a governmental policy which has been implemented by the farming sector.’
Speaking during a debate on the need for action on carbon emissions, he said this year was the first year in which a number of other Ministers designated under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 addressed the Seanad in respect of climate adaption policy.
That represented an important milestone in extending to the whole-of-Government accountability for action on climate change.
‘One of the key challenges we face is that the causes of climate change are deeply embedded in our way of life,’ said Deputy D’Arcy.
‘From heating our homes to food and transport, the choices we make have implications for us as a society. Understanding these choices is the first step. It is clear that we require transformational change in all these aspects of our daily lives over the coming years.’
The Citizens’ Assembly and national dialogue on climate change point the way forward towards models of participatory engagement that can help to address these challenges by engaging with the wider public to create awareness, engagement, and motivation to act, he said.
‘It is a moral imperative the Ireland tackle climate change not just because we have promised to do so as part of international agreements to achieve outcomes, but more importantly because it helps to safeguard our future.’