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This week’s vote by the European Parliament to extend proposals for 2030 emissions targets is an example of replacing what could be achieved with an idealistic dream. If this follows through into EU policy, Ireland will find itself in the unforgivable position of having made the same mistake twice by buying into targets that had no hope of being met.
That is what happened by accepting a 20% reduction as our 2020 target, which reflected the idealistic Green Party politics of the 2007-2011 Government. Our failure to achieve beyond an expected 5% of this should be a warning. The Commission got it right by suggesting we start from an average of 2016-2018 emissions and build on that. By saying we should carry forward the unrealistic target we have and recalibrate the starting point to 2018 is just to prepare for future failure to deliver – and with it a cost in excess of €1bn.
The IFA president in a hard-hitting letter to the ministers responsible for agriculture and climate has captured the unwarranted burden this places on Ireland and agriculture in particular. Transport and buildings are two areas where proper investment can deliver real returns.
Agriculture must do what it can but the EU has to be realistic in what gains can be made in livestock production. Environmentally efficient food production models should be supported and not curtailed.
Gary Lanigan outlines the comprehensive work carried out by Teagasc in this area here.
Scientific opinions on climate change
The Earth is in the midst of a CO2 famine – Princeton professor
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