Figures released by the EPA today suggest that Ireland is projected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the non-Emissions Trading Scheme (non-ETS) sector by 6% to 11% from 2005 levels by 2020, falling short of the EU target of 20% reduction.
The non-ETS sector covers industries that are not energy intensive and do not have emissions controlled under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.
By 2020, agriculture is projected to account for 47% of emissions from the non-ETS sector with transport predicted to account for 29% of emissions. Other non-ETS industries include residential, commercial and waste.
Compared with 2014 levels, greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture are projected to increase by 6% to 7% and emissions from transport are set to increase from 10% to 16% by 2020.
Challenging new targets
IFA environment and rural affairs committee chair Harold Kingston said that meeting non-ETS targets was achievable if agricultural production was reduced, but that this would not address climate change as production would move to other countries where production methods have a higher carbon footprint as the market would remain.
“While the figures are factually correct, it ignores reality. Agriculture is different to any other sector and needs to be treated as such,” he said.
He added that initiatives such as Origin Green and Smart Farming in Ireland are improving efficiency in food production with both environmental and economic benefits.
It is also noteworthy that carbon sequestration through sinks such as forestry and soils are not included in the projections.
The EPA have also said today that, although Ireland has met annual obligation targets from 2013, it is projected to breach these in either 2016 or 2017.
Emission targets for the period from 2021 to 2030 are being negotiated at EU level this year. The EPA has warned that the new targets will become more challenging the further Ireland is from achieving 2020 targets.
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