Carol Nolan: Defending Farmers Against Climate Scapegoating
Carol Nolan defended Irish farmers, arguing they have made significant reductions in emissions and are unfairly scapegoated by parts of the environmental lobby. She pressed the minister for clarity on carbon accounting, hedgerow reporting, a land use map and the share of carbon tax paid by agriculture, and rejected proposals to reduce the national herd.
Position on farmers and emissions
Carol Nolan said Irish farms and the wider agriculture sector have made huge strides in reducing their carbon footprint and frequently do not receive adequate recognition. She warned that farmers and their way of life have been demonised, cautioned against portraying them as the sole cause of environmental problems, and called for genuine partnership and collaboration rather than blame.
Carbon accounting and hedgerows
She reminded the minister that the EU long-term strategy accepts agricultural production will always produce greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide and noted that carbon neutrality remains undefined. She welcomed confirmation in a recent parliamentary reply that hedgerows, currently not accounted for in emission calculations, will be included from 2021 and cited research by Tiagask supporting inclusion of hedgerows and landscape features in land-use emission estimates.
Engagement with EPA and land use mapping
Carol Nolan asked the minister for an update on the department's engagement with the EPA regarding the development of a land use map to report land-based activities under land use regulations. She highlighted that Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions and removals associated with land use, land use change and forestry are reported annually in the National Inventory Report prepared by the EPA for the EU and UNFCCC.
Questions on carbon tax and policy impact
She requested details about how much of the at least £2.8 billion in carbon taxes collected since 2010 has come from the agricultural sector, challenging the perception that farmers are only takers and not contributors to climate measures. She also opposed any proposal to reduce the national herd, arguing such measures would destroy family farms, damage the rural economy and culture, and that other sectors must also play their part in reducing emissions.
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Minister, as you are aware, Irish farms and the Irish agriculture sector more generally has been making huge strides in reducing its carbon footprint over the last number of years. This is not something that is recognised too often. Indeed, the agri-sector has become something of a scapegoat for all of the environmental ills that afflict our society. Farmers and their way of life has been demonised for too long. When they work to introduce biodiversity initiatives, they are told they have to do more and rarely is credit given. But the fact of the matter is that in order to qualify for a lot of the schemes that are out there, such as GLOSS, they have to meet the criteria and they are meeting it quite successfully and doing their bit for the environment. But it is high time that that was acknowledged and indeed credited. Irish farmers are well aware of their obligations and their responsibilities, but they will not be made the whipping boys of an aggressive and ill-informed environmental lobby for whom no measure is ever good enough. This will do nothing to create the sense of genuine partnership and collaboration that we all need and indeed support. Minister, you yourself acknowledged in January that the EU's long-term strategy, a clean planet for all, accepts that agricultural production will always result in CO2 greenhouse gas emissions, such as methane and nitrous oxide. Of course, these can be reduced, but not at the expense of the entire sector and indeed at the expense of the rural economy and the family farm as we know it. I am also conscious, Minister, that in a reply to a parliamentary question from my rural group colleague, Deputy Matty McGrath, you accepted that the very concept of carbon neutrality has yet to be defined, and that is something that really needs to be urgently addressed. It is fine to have a general sense of what climate neutrality might look like on paper, but we need a definite sense of what the real world implications will be for farming and agriculture more generally. I do acknowledge and welcome that we are increasing carbon sequestration measures. In fact, Minister Bruton confirmed to me in a recent parliamentary reply that hedgerows, which are not accounted for currently in Ireland's calculation with emission targets, will be included from 2021. As we know, greenhouse gas emissions and removals associated with land use, land use change and forestry are currently reported in Ireland's National Inventory Report. But this is prepared by the EPA and submitted to the EU and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change annually. I want to acknowledge the fantastic research work conducted by Tiagask in this area. It has long argued that hedgerows and landscape features within the cropland and grassland categories can form part of the emission and removal estimates for land use categories. Minister, in terms of questions, can you please update me on your own department's engagement with the EPA with respect to the development of a land use map for reporting on land-based activities under the land use regulations? And will you accept that Irish farmers do not receive anything like the credit that they deserve for introducing and supporting carbon reduction measures? And my next question, Minister, is information provided by revenue shows that since 2010, the state has taken in at least £2.8 billion in carbon taxes. I appreciate that you may not have this information to hand, but will you please commit to providing me with the details of how much of that has come from the agricultural sector? Again, I ask because there is an inaccurate perception out there that farmers are simply takers and not equal givers when it comes to contributions towards climate tax and climate renewal measures. And finally, Minister, I just want to say that, again, I oppose any proposal to reduce the national herd and it will destroy agriculture as we know it. Have these proposals been accepted or can we accept that other sectors also have to play their part in reducing emissions and that agriculture cannot be the scapegoat? And indeed the family farm, as we know, destroyed and indeed part of our culture destroyed, trying to appease a number of people who are not, I suppose, fair or asking for too much in terms of their environmental demands and who do not understand agriculture. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
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