The publication of the Climate Action Plan on 4 November has clarified the sectoral emissions reduction targets for agriculture and land use.
Consequently, the focus now should be on the steps needed for agriculture to deliver on its emissions reduction targets. A mix of policies from Government, incentives from Government and industry and advisory support from Teagasc and other similar organisations will be needed.
The Signpost Programme will play a key role in enabling farmers to incorporate climate mitigation technologies into their farming systems.
While the overall economy has a target of reducing emissions by 51% by 2030, the agriculture sector was allocated a target of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by between 22% and 30% in the same period. It is also noteworthy that the land use sector, referred to as land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF), has a separate emissions reduction target. While farmers effectively manage both sectors, from the Climate Action Plan perspective, they are treated separately. The baseline year for measuring progress against is 2018, with GHG emissions from the agriculture and LULUCF sectors in that year of 23.0Mt and 4.8Mt CO2-e, respectively.
Future targets are all very well, but in and of themselves, won’t deliver emissions reduction.
Teagasc envisages three stages in the transition.
Stage one
This involves the adoption of currently available technologies by farmers as outlined below:
Protected urea.Improved utilisation of slurry through improved timing of application and method of application.Reduced nitrogen (N) fertiliser use through improved soil fertility, the incorporation of clover and better grassland management, liming.Improved animal genetics and improved animal performance including a focus on overall animal health, milk recording and weight recording.These measures are estimated to have the potential to reduce emissions by up to 2Mt CO2-e or by 9% compared to the baseline.
The Signpost Programme partners, including Teagasc, will work to enable farmers to identify ways in which these technologies can be incorporated into their farming systems.
Stage two
Stage two involves the rollout and adoption of “almost-ready” technologies. These are currently under research or in development, and Teagasc expects them to be available in the medium term (within five years). These include technologies such as:
Feed additives for indoor diets.Increased usage of low N fertiliser compounds.Earlier age at slaughter.Combined, Teagasc estimates that there is the potential to reduce GHG emissions by a further 1-1.5 Mt CO2-e and potentially up to 2.0Mt CO2-e through the adoption of these technologies.
Stage three
Finally, stage three involves significant further research before the rollout and adoption of early stage technologies, in the second part of the decade. The technologies included here are:
Feed additives at pasture.Breeding lower-emitting animals.These technologies could reduce GHG emissions by a further 1-1.5Mt CO2 –e.
Figure 1 illustrates the three stages, while also indicating that reducing GHG emissions by 51% by 2030 is only part of the journey to net zero agriculture by 2050.
And, finally, a word on LULUCF. In the Climate Action Plan, it is treated as a separate sector, currently emitting 4.8Mt CO2 -e. It is predicted that emissions from this sector will increase as forestry sequestration decreases over this decade. It has a separate target to cut GHG emissions by 37 to 58% by 2030.
As a separate sector, sequestration will not contribute to the agricultural GHG reduction requirements (outlined above).
However, land use, and diversification of land use, will play a role in reducing overall emissions. It is something that is likely to happen at a more gradual pace.
In summary, reducing a farm’s GHG emissions is a long-term process, but there can be some quick wins.
We need to focus on achieving those quick wins by working together to adopt the currently available mitigation technologies; let’s make a start today. Research will bring forward more solutions in the future.
The publication of the Climate Action Plan on 4 November has clarified the sectoral emissions reduction targets for agriculture and land use.
Consequently, the focus now should be on the steps needed for agriculture to deliver on its emissions reduction targets. A mix of policies from Government, incentives from Government and industry and advisory support from Teagasc and other similar organisations will be needed.
The Signpost Programme will play a key role in enabling farmers to incorporate climate mitigation technologies into their farming systems.
While the overall economy has a target of reducing emissions by 51% by 2030, the agriculture sector was allocated a target of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by between 22% and 30% in the same period. It is also noteworthy that the land use sector, referred to as land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF), has a separate emissions reduction target. While farmers effectively manage both sectors, from the Climate Action Plan perspective, they are treated separately. The baseline year for measuring progress against is 2018, with GHG emissions from the agriculture and LULUCF sectors in that year of 23.0Mt and 4.8Mt CO2-e, respectively.
Future targets are all very well, but in and of themselves, won’t deliver emissions reduction.
Teagasc envisages three stages in the transition.
Stage one
This involves the adoption of currently available technologies by farmers as outlined below:
Protected urea.Improved utilisation of slurry through improved timing of application and method of application.Reduced nitrogen (N) fertiliser use through improved soil fertility, the incorporation of clover and better grassland management, liming.Improved animal genetics and improved animal performance including a focus on overall animal health, milk recording and weight recording.These measures are estimated to have the potential to reduce emissions by up to 2Mt CO2-e or by 9% compared to the baseline.
The Signpost Programme partners, including Teagasc, will work to enable farmers to identify ways in which these technologies can be incorporated into their farming systems.
Stage two
Stage two involves the rollout and adoption of “almost-ready” technologies. These are currently under research or in development, and Teagasc expects them to be available in the medium term (within five years). These include technologies such as:
Feed additives for indoor diets.Increased usage of low N fertiliser compounds.Earlier age at slaughter.Combined, Teagasc estimates that there is the potential to reduce GHG emissions by a further 1-1.5 Mt CO2-e and potentially up to 2.0Mt CO2-e through the adoption of these technologies.
Stage three
Finally, stage three involves significant further research before the rollout and adoption of early stage technologies, in the second part of the decade. The technologies included here are:
Feed additives at pasture.Breeding lower-emitting animals.These technologies could reduce GHG emissions by a further 1-1.5Mt CO2 –e.
Figure 1 illustrates the three stages, while also indicating that reducing GHG emissions by 51% by 2030 is only part of the journey to net zero agriculture by 2050.
And, finally, a word on LULUCF. In the Climate Action Plan, it is treated as a separate sector, currently emitting 4.8Mt CO2 -e. It is predicted that emissions from this sector will increase as forestry sequestration decreases over this decade. It has a separate target to cut GHG emissions by 37 to 58% by 2030.
As a separate sector, sequestration will not contribute to the agricultural GHG reduction requirements (outlined above).
However, land use, and diversification of land use, will play a role in reducing overall emissions. It is something that is likely to happen at a more gradual pace.
In summary, reducing a farm’s GHG emissions is a long-term process, but there can be some quick wins.
We need to focus on achieving those quick wins by working together to adopt the currently available mitigation technologies; let’s make a start today. Research will bring forward more solutions in the future.
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