Environment, Climate and Communications | To ask the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which he continues to make contact with the Minister for Agriculture with a view to ensuring the adequate measures are taken to reduce carbon emissions without reducing the agri-food production sector which could lead to a national food shortage

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which he continues to make contact with the Minister for Agriculture with a view to ensuring the adequate measures are taken to reduce carbon emissions without reducing the agri-food production sector which could lead to a national food shortage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. – Bernard J. Durkan.


*    For WRITTEN answer on Thursday, 2nd June, 2022.

(732  Received on 10th May, 2022.)

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will ensure that measures to address carbon emissions do not damage the productive agricultural and manufacturing sectors here; if best practice in other jurisdictions to meet such requirements will be followed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.　 – Bernard J. Durkan.　 * For WRITTEN answer on Thursday, 2nd June, 2022.　 　 　 Ref No: 28765/22

REPLY

I propose to take questions 187 and 188 together. As Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications I continue to work closely with all Ministers to deliver policies to achieve our emissions targets. Furthermore, my Department is working across all of Government, including the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, on the need to address our carbon emissions. My Department consults with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on a number of policy matters, including for strategic policies such as the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan, and Food Vision 2030.

Presently my Department, is working across Government on sectoral emissions ceilings as required by the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021. This shall set the emission limits for all sectors of our economy over the next two Carbon Budget periods.

Climate Action Plan 2021 sets out an ambitious emissions reduction range for the agriculture sector of between 22% and 30% by 2030, compared with a 2018 baseline. The achievement of this target will require significant innovation and effort, representing a transformative change for our agri-food industries. I am confident that the sector will fully exploit the opportunities of the transition without compromising on sustainable food production.

To address emissions in manufacturing my Department is engaging with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment on the sectoral emissions ceiling for industry which includes the agri-food sector. Together we are reviewing the measures agreed in the Climate Action Plan 2021 to ensure that they can deliver the emissions reductions required. To meet requirements such as technical feasibility and cost effectiveness and their wider economic impact.