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Emissions targets set by government 'problematic', climate watchdog warns

The statement added that Land Use Sector emissions must also be urgently addressed, but are currently excluded from the targets.

THE CHAIR OF the Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC) has described the sectoral emissions targets set by government as ‘problematic’.

The targets were agreed yesterday after days of intense negotiations between government parties over how much agriculture emissions should be reduced.

The figure is now 25%, which is among several targets set for other sectors of society with the aim of reducing emissions by 51% by 2030.

The chair of the CCAC, which is tasked with advising the government on climate action and assessing Ireland’s progress, said in a statement last night that the targets had been noted and represent an ‘important milestone’, but that issues remain.

Marie Donnelly warned that ‘the quantified emissions reductions only amount to a reduction of 43% excluding the Land Use Sector’, which means the targets are not in line with the aims set out in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act.

The statement added that Land Use Sector emissions must also be urgently addressed, but are currently excluded from the targets.

Additional, Donnelly said percentage reductions ‘do not illustrate how these are consistent with the Carbon Budgets’, and how the budgets themselves will be delivered:

Whilst these targets are a useful starting point the targets will need to be revised upwards and monitored closely in the light of experience. The Climate Action Plan 2023, due later this year, will need to set out the precise actions and steps that will need to be followed in order to align with the ambition of the Carbon Budgets which were adopted by the Oireachtas in April.

Donnelly welcomed the ‘increased’ ambition in the renewable energy sector, pointing towards the need to increase energy security as well as the ultimate goal of eliminating fossil fuels.

She also recommended a new set of policy measures bettering targeted at helping people in fuel poverty and on low incomes to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.

Speaking after yesterday’s announcement, Environment Minister Eamon Ryan said it was a “hugely significant and important day” in the Government’s efforts to battle climate change:

“We have to be ambitious. We have to be bold. We have to take action now. We cannot delay and that’s what this government is committed to.

“This will not work if it’s divisive, this will not work if we’re pointing the finger or blaming one sector or the other. This is only going to work when it’s good for every section of our society.”

Agricultural lobby groups have characterised the targets as a threat to family farms and rural Ireland as a whole, but climate campaigners have said 25% is not enough.

Campaign group Friends of the Earth said 25% was too low for agriculture and that other sectors would have to make up the difference.

CEO Oisín Coghlan said in a statement:

Now that these binding emissions ceilings are set, we urgently need to get on with transformative action in every sector. The time for talking is finally over, it’s time for a relentless focus now on delivery, delivery, delivery.

The targets set yesterday are:

These emission reduction targets are:

  • Electricity – 75%
  • Transport – 50%
  • Commercial and public buildings – 45%
  • Residential Buildings – 40%
  • Industry – 35%
  • Agriculture – 25%
  • Others (including petroleum refining and waste) – 50%

Additional reporting by Tadgh McNally

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32 Comments
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    Mute Gerard Carthy
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    Jul 29th 2022, 7:25 AM

    Yes farming emits CO2. Farms and the trees, grass, hedgerows, forestry and peat are also Corbin reducers. All of these offsets have been commandeered away from farming and given to the Government to make them look better. If farms were allowed to book their carbon capture against their carbon emitting the picture would be different.
    This dishonest and obviously artificial way of dealing with this serious issue undermines all of the pointless rhetoric and I’ll defined targets emoting from Governmwnt.

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    Mute NotMyIreland
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    Jul 29th 2022, 7:44 AM

    @Gerard Carthy: the carbon credits from the grasslands have been taken to give to more economically important sectors. Farming is just not a big enough industry, its probably not fair, but definitely makes sense.

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    Mute Gerard Carthy
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    Jul 29th 2022, 7:52 AM

    @NotMyIreland: Moving a carbon credit to an unrelated industry and then pretending it doesn’t matter while setting targets based on emissions is sub optimal (Apparently I’m not allowed say id**cy)

    127
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    Mute Jonathan Conway
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    Jul 29th 2022, 8:52 AM

    @NotMyIreland: The people that own the land should have the right to there carbon credit that their land sequesters, how the Government can think they can steal the credits off privately owned farmland is just crazy. They don’t own the land therefore how can the claim credit for it. It’s absolutely disgusting and this is a major talking point that always seems to get left out of the public domain as it suits big buissness agendas.

    66
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    Mute David Jordan
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    Jul 29th 2022, 11:00 AM

    @Gerard Carthy: 95% of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Agriculture are from Nitrous Oxide (N2O – 273 times more potent than CO2) and Methane (CH4 – biogenic methane 80 times more potent than CO2).

    N2O is generated from fertilizer application (especially urea based), spreading slurry on fields, and from animal waste (cattle pooping on fields, slurry pits) etc.

    CH4 is generated from bacteria in the forestomach of cattle that they burp out, spreading slurry on fields, and emissions from animal waste (cattle on fields, slurry pits etc.) etc.

    N2O can be reduced by switching from Urea based to calcium ammonium phosphate fertiliser (CAP), reducing slurry application and better timing of applications, avoiding fertilising field with inappropriate soil types, improving soil drainage.

    CH4 can be reduced by using enzyme inhibitors and/or biochar in the feed of cattle, capturing CH4 from slurry pits and using it as fuel.

    Combined mitigation strategies can easily achieve a 25% reduction in GHG emissions from without reducing the herd.

    https://www.teagasc.ie/environment/climate-change–air-quality/signpost-programme/publications-/understanding-greenhouse-gas-emissions-on-farms/#mainghgs

    7
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    Mute Gerard Carthy
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    Jul 29th 2022, 11:30 AM

    @David Jordan: All true. Another way would have been NOT encouraging tillage farmers to switch to dairy with the elimination of quotas. It would also involve setting minimum prices for carrots for example, something that is illegals apparently. The free market is handed down by God and should not be interfered with.

    10
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    Mute Brendan Godley
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    Jul 29th 2022, 12:29 PM

    @David Jordan: capturing CH4 to make electrity will make no difference to farmers.They still can’t claim it off their emissions all the benefits will go to the energy sector

    4
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    Mute Alex Robinson
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    Jul 29th 2022, 7:59 AM

    These numbers and targets are not achievable. This is merely designed to keep the EU off our backs for not meeting targets. The reality is that the certain industries will be destroyed from these targets and the government are satisfied with this as long as it keeps the EU & climate fanatics happy.

    153
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    Mute William Mcgee
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    Jul 29th 2022, 8:00 AM

    lots of words and no details , holding on to power is their main objective .

    90
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    Mute Irish Opinion
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    Jul 29th 2022, 7:33 AM

    Given we are 0.1% of global emissions, we should take appropriate measures but overly burden our people.

    79
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    Mute Irish Opinion
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    Jul 29th 2022, 7:51 AM

    @Irish Opinion: *but not overly burden our people.

    58
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    Mute Barry Somers
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    Jul 29th 2022, 9:01 AM

    @Irish Opinion: meanwhile we are more then happy to outsource all products, cars, oil being processed to other countrys but we get the benefits of the finished products. We’re still part of the global problems regardless of which way you look at it.

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    Mute Jim Casey
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    Jul 29th 2022, 9:34 AM

    @Barry Somers: yes but what we export in terms of farm output has not recently removed rainforest …….. the Brazilian government have pushed farmers to increase the amounts of cattle they have bu a further 5%.

    12
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    Mute Ivan Dickson
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    Jul 29th 2022, 12:25 PM

    @Barry Somers: it’s just the throw away consumerism lifestyle we live.

    4
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    Mute a politicians promise is as good as a lie
    Favourite a politicians promise is as good as a lie
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    Jul 29th 2022, 7:43 AM

    Nobody is tackling the elephant in the room which is Cruise Ships…

    “Available research suggest that a large cruise ship can have a carbon footprint greater than 12,000 cars. Passengers on an Antarctic cruise can produce as much CO2 emissions while on an average seven day voyage as the average European in an entire year.”

    https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/09/210928193815.htm

    64
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    Mute Barry Somers
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    Jul 29th 2022, 9:04 AM

    @a politicians promise is as good as a lie: the elephant is methane, methane has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide.

    People talk about CO2 and farms but they forget about methane. Also worth pointing out that drained/cut bogs also emit methane as the organic matter rots

    25
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    Mute Jim Casey
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    Jul 29th 2022, 9:37 AM

    @Barry Somers: co2 stays in the atmosphere for hundreds of years while methane actually doesn’t. Plus feed additives are hopefully going to mitigate the issue

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    Mute David Jordan
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    Jul 29th 2022, 11:13 AM

    @Jim Casey: Correct, that is why biogenic methane’s (CH4) Global Warming Potential (GWP) is 80 (IPCC AR6 WG1 Ch7 2021). It traps heat a lot more than CO2 but it does not last as long in the atmosphere as CO2, the two balance out and give a GWP of 80.

    The shorter residence time of CH4 means that if we reduce CH4 emissions it will quickly have a beneficial effect, atmospheric CH4 levels fall much quicker than CO2.

    “CH4 emitted today lasts about a decade on average, which is much less time than CO2. But CH4 also absorbs much more energy than CO2. The net effect of the shorter lifetime and higher energy absorption is reflected in the GWP. The CH4 GWP also accounts for some indirect effects, such as the fact that CH4 is a precursor to ozone, and ozone is itself a GHG.”

    65% of Greenhouse gas emissions from Irish agriculture is from CH4. The other gas is nitrous oxide, N2O, which has a greenhouse warming potential of 273 and a longer residence time.

    Together they make up 95% of greenhouse gasses emitted. The journal really needs to publish an article that educates people about this. There are many misconceptions. I see some people think CO2 is the problem.

    10
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    Mute Nicholas Grubb
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    Jul 29th 2022, 7:50 AM

    This whole Climate Action / Carbon / Methane business is really a mega b*****ks. There is already more Methane boiling out of the Permafrost and Sub Artic ice, than from several billion more cows. Meanwhile more coal is being burned, than any commensurate or greater development of hopelessly intermittent renewables. From a technical standpoint, there is only one way out of all this and here on Planet Ireland, we are not even prepared to discuss it.!
    https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/3548160-soaring-demand-for-electricity-and-coal-shows-why-we-need-nuclear-energy/

    69
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    Mute Gerard Carthy
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    Jul 29th 2022, 7:56 AM

    @Nicholas Grubb: Energy policy is so messed up. Germany should be nuclear. Everyone should. The misinformation about nuclear is staggering. Mind you, with the new interconnect or to France we’ll be using a lot of green electricity.

    51
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    Mute Nicholas Grubb
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    Jul 29th 2022, 8:22 AM

    @Gerard Carthy: That 700Mw interconnector to France is just a complete white elephant. The French won’t have one spare Kw of power to send us, with their prior commitments to the Germans, who stupidly closed their nukes. As for power going the other way – no one wants your renewable power, when you don’t. !

    29
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    Mute Nicholas McMurry
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    Jul 29th 2022, 9:11 AM

    @Nicholas Grubb: The climate is 25 times more responsive to methane than it is to carbon dioxide. Therefore any increase in the methane emissions is a bigger problem than carbon dioxide. Furthermore, methane breaks down in a relatively short time. So while we need to sequester carbon in order to reduce carbon dioxide, most of the methane we are currently pumping into the atmosphere will be gone within a decade or two. Scientists recently raised the estimate of how much atmospheric methane is artificial (to 50-65%). This sounds like bad news but it actually means that reducing methane emissions is a very good way to reverse some of the impacts of climate change in the short term (decades rather than centuries).

    12
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    Mute David Jordan
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    Jul 29th 2022, 11:22 AM

    @Nicholas Grubb: “There is already more Methane boiling out of the Permafrost and Sub Artic ice,”

    Methane leaking out of thawing permafrost, in the rapidly warming Arctic, is our fault. It is linked to human caused climate change. Your comment is so wrong it gives me a seizure.

    Human caused melting of permafrost underscores why we must reduced our emissions of greenhouse gases in order to prevent more permafrost thawing or else we risk creating a feedback loop of methane induced warming and methane release.

    https://www.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/blog/permafrost-approaches-climate-tipping-point/

    10
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    Mute Paul Cunningham
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    Jul 29th 2022, 8:43 AM

    It all feels like the government and its corresponding media finger blaming farmers. They won’t be voting for this shower after the dust has settled, not that they would vote the greens who increasingly feel like the whole country is the same as south Dublin.

    46
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    Mute Barry Somers
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    Jul 29th 2022, 9:05 AM

    @Paul Cunningham: and when temps go up and farming is effected, who will the farmers look to to receive funds and support? The government.

    But they are not prepared to take action to save their own futures

    19
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    Mute Deirdre Gosson
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    Jul 29th 2022, 9:22 AM

    We have an ageing population who is going to give us money to re do all our homes ??? Not taking out a large loan at this stage of my life ???

    29
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    Mute Eoin Clancy
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    Jul 29th 2022, 10:23 AM

    There is no climate crisis, it’s a hoax and a very dangerous one.

    27
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    Mute Jason Walsh
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    Jul 29th 2022, 8:35 AM

    I’m surprised they aren’t setting them unrealistically high to make a problem for the next government. O wait they think they’ll be re-elected.

    25
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    Mute Michael Nolan
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    Jul 29th 2022, 9:16 AM

    Eamonn Ryan he is such a let down at least he will never get in again first he fuxxs up the country back in 2007 with ff and. Ow he can’t even stick to his guns and fxxxs up the world …he is like an episode of pinky and the brain….bye bye Eamonn can’t say it was fun

    29
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    Mute Dónal Ó Keeffe
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    Jul 29th 2022, 11:22 AM

    If the government are so intent on saving the planet, why did they oversee the cutting of trees nationwide to facilitate mobile phone/ broadband providers. Trees still convert CO2 to O2 i believe unless the media spin has convinced everyone otherwise.
    Would love 5 mins with Eamonn ryan.

    12
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    Mute Jim O'Sullivan
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    Jul 29th 2022, 10:10 AM

    What else can be expected from a bunch of political pygmies? The gods are having a laugh.

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    Mute François Pignon
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    Jul 29th 2022, 9:07 AM

    Survival of the human race is at stake but still people are counting their money. Lets kill the golden goose.

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    Mute François Pignon
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    Jul 29th 2022, 9:14 AM

    As a question to “the journal”, why does the word “kill” blank the screen as i type? Censorship like that makes expression more difficult and less impactful, dulling the conversation.

    18
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