Emission impossible
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OPPOSITION politicians have labelled a 25% emissions reduction for Ireland’s agricultural sector “a failure” on climate action.
But a lobby group said it was a “potentially devastating blow for Irish farming”.
Yesterday the Government agreed a compromise target of a 25% emissions reduction for agriculture, after it failed to agree tougher targets at the last Cabinet meeting before the summer recess.
It set a 50% reduction for transport and a 75% reduction for the electricity sector.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik said it was “unfortunate” to see a target at the mid-range instead of on the higher end of the 22-30% range that was outlined in the Government’s Climate Action Plan.
She added: “It’s unfortunate that Government has landed on just a 25% emissions target for the agriculture sector when all the science is clear – the sector must have reductions of closer to 30% to have some hope of offsetting the impact of climate change.”
People Before Profit/solidarity TD Paul Murphy said the 25% target set for agriculture was “yet another Green Party failure”.
He said: “Agriculture accounts for 37% of Ireland’s emissions - a 25% reduction by 2030 is hopelessly inadequate.”
Solidarity TD for Cork North Central Mick Barry said that “no-one who takes the issue of climate change seriously could support this deal”.
Social Democrat
TD Jennifer Whitmore said a rate of
25% for agriculture is “a failure by
Government to listen to the science and shows a shocking lack of leadership”.
She added: “This deal clearly demonstrates Government are not prepared to, or capable of, making the tough decisions required to deal with climate change.
“Instead, they have chosen to ignore the independent advice and this deal has fallen far short of the target needed for us to meet our climate targets.”
However, Irish Farmers’ Association president Tim Cullinan said that the 25% reduction in emissions for the sector is “a potentially devastating blow” for Irish farming.
He continued: “This deal between Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Green Party is all about the survival of the Government rather than survival of rural Ireland.
“The Government has agreed to a target without any pathway to get there or any budget to assist farmers to reduce emissions.
“They have no idea of the economic and social impact of today’s decision on the farming sector or rural Ireland.
“Farmers across the country will be rightly worried about what this means for their future.”
No-one who takes the issue of climate change seriously could support this deal