Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to welcome you all here to Dublin Castle and to thank the Director General of the Institute of International and European Affairs, Jill Donoghue, who has very kindly invited me to officially open today’s conference. Tá áthas orm bheith anseo ar maidin chun an t-ábhar fíor-thábhachtach seo a phlé.
Background
I would like to begin by referring to the economic cost of climate change. The most comprehensive review ever carried out on the economics of climate change was conducted in 2006 by Sir Nicholas Stern. This analysis found that a change in global average temperature, of greater than 2% when compared to pre-industrial levels, substantially increases not only the risk of dangerous and unpredictable climate change, but also, the costs of adaptation. Stern estimated that global warming had the potential to shrink the world economy by 20% – but that taking immediate action could contain this cost to just 1% of global GDP.
In February 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change declared that the evidence of a global warming trend is “unequivocal”, and that human activity has “very likely” been the driving force in that change. At that point, the debate on global warming shifted significantly, from exploring the reasons why our climate is changing, to working out what we need to do about it.
Programme for Government
The importance which the Government attaches to climate change is shown clearly in the Programme for Government itself, where climate change is identified as one of the three areas of particular importance. The relevant section of the Programme lists no fewer than nineteen actions related to climate change.
EU package
At the Spring 2007 European Council, EU Heads of State and Government unanimously agreed to reduce the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% by 2020, or by 30% in the event of a global and comprehensive agreement. They also called for a global reduction of up to 50% by 2050, compared to 1990 levels.
Instruments to give effect to these policies are almost complete. European emissions from sectors including transport, buildings, agriculture and waste represent some 60% of total GHG emissions. By 2020, emissions from these sources are to be reduced by an average of 10% compared to 2005 levels. A new burden-sharing arrangement has been agreed based on differences in GDP per capita that ensures all Member States make a fair contribution to achieving this community target.
Europe’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) has been entirely overhauled. For the post Kyoto period, a single EU-wide cap on ETS emissions will be set, and free allocation of emission allowances will be progressively replaced by auctioning of allowances. Installations not subject to carbon leakage will be required to buy 20% of their allowances in 2013 rising to 70% in 2020 and 100% in 2027.
To paraphrase a Green motto; while we all must act locally, we need to never stop thinking globally. It would be counter productive therefore to seek for instance a reduction of cattle numbers in Ireland if the result was a growth in beef imported into the EU produced in a far off country. For those beef cattle to be reared in areas of cleared rainforest would further worsen the effects of climate change globally. Unless we think globally and act locally, this type of ‘carbon leakage’ works against our genuine efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Green Party Ministers and the Government overall appreciates the need to avoid ‘carbon leakage’ as well as reduce emissions overall. A myth has been peddled however claiming Minister for the Environment and Local Government John Gormley T.D. is in favour of a cattle cull to reduce methane emissions. This is completely untrue and is a gross disservice to the work Minister Gormley has been doing to help the long term viability of all sectors, including agriculture. Both Minister Smith and Minister Gormley work closely as members of the interdepartmental committee on climate change but Minister Gormley is the lead Minister on this issue internationally.
In the European climate change deal agreed before Christmas, Minister Gormley firstly achieved flexibility in the deal to ensure that Ireland did not face higher costs of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and that we would not be forced to reduce our national herd.
Secondly, Minister Gormley travelled to Paris in December for talks with the European Presidency’s chief climate change negotiator.
The aim was to ensure that the specific issues in relation to agriculture were recognised in the deal. This means that in the event of a global deal later this year on climate change, the issue of carbon leakage from agriculture will be examined. Minister Gormley and the Irish Government have ensured that the issue of carbon leakage in agriculture and sustainable food production in the context of climate change is for the first time on the international political agenda for discussion.
It is one of the single most important things to have been delivered last year for the Irish food industry’s long term viability. And (for the benefit of the mythologists) I stress it was a Green Minister and his officials who delivered it.
In order to reach the EU target of a 20% share of renewable energy in 2020, a new Directive has been agreed through the work of my colleague Minister for Energy Eamon Ryan which sets legally binding targets for Renewable Energy for each Member State. The Directive establishes a 10% target for renewables in transport.
However strict biofuel sustainability criteria have been fixed to ensure that only biofuels that have no negative environmental impact receive support.
While we all must acknowledge that the highest levels of emissions in the non-trading sector emanate from the agriculture and transport sectors, a closer look at emission levels from 1990 to 2007 reveals that emissions from agriculture fell by almost 7% in that period. Agriculture, therefore, has been playing a considerable part in reducing emissions levels but it is clear that much greater effort will be required to meet the challenge of the new reduction targets.
Renewables
The agriculture sector can make a significant contribution to the reduction of national greenhouse gas emissions through the production of renewables. Harnessing the full potential of Ireland’s renewable energy resources is an essential part of the transition to a low carbon economy. It is also necessary if we are serious about reducing our dependence on imported fossil fuel. The Government through my colleague Minister Eamon Ryan is committed to rapidly expanding the use of renewable energy in Ireland.
As part of this initiative, the Government recently adopted a target that 40% of electricity consumed would be from renewable sources by 2020. A recent “All Island Grid Study” indicated that this target would save around 5 million tonnes in carbon emissions from electricity. Accordingly, my Department is implementing a number of support measures to increase the share of renewable energy derived from agriculture and forestry sectors.
Forestry
Deforestation is actually responsible for 17% of total global greenhouse gas emissions, but on the other hand new and existing forestry has a very significant potential to mitigate rises in greenhouse gas levels.
The Government remains committed to the maintenance of an attractive package of grants and premiums for new afforestation even in these difficult economic times. I would encourage farmers to consider the forestry option and related enterprises of timber products, nut and fruit production as well as bio-energy.
Organic farming
I am delighted to see that today’s conference will be addressed by such a range of high calibre speakers although I am disappointed that no speaker will specifically address the potential significant contribution that organic farming methods can make to climate change solutions. One of the many advantages that organic agriculture offers is that it does not depend on Nitrogenous fertilizer made from fossil fuels, which increase greenhouse gas emissions.
Organic farming also prioritises the build up of humus in the soil which apart from increasing fertility and yield, also increases the soils capacity to store carbon.
Conclusion
That being said, the line up of expert speakers assembled for today’s event is extremely impressive and the Institute is to be applauded for bringing together so many key stakeholders, farmers and farmers’ representatives, policymakers, researchers and stakeholders from a cross-section of Ireland’s agri-food industries, to concentrate on this most critical issue.
Each of you have an important role to play in developing Ireland’s response to both mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from the sector and adapting farming and processing systems to cope with and take advantage of changes to our climate.
We know that there is a new direction that our country needs to take. I know that Irish people now understand the need to prevent and adapt to the changes in our climate. Our task is to give leadership which sets out not just the measures to bring about the ‘Greening of Irish Agriculture’ but which explains how we are in the midst of a vital transformation to become a society which can live well without the oil well, but this is only possible with a benign climate.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh go leir.
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