The farm sector’s targets for reducing carbon emissions will move from a broad range to a set figure by the end of June, the Irish Farmers Journal has learned.

The current emissions’ reductions being sought from agriculture by 2030 range from 22% to 30%.

However, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications confirmed that more precise and exact ceilings are to be agreed by Government in the coming months.

“The Government will set sectoral emissions ceilings, determining how each sector of the economy will contribute to achieving the carbon budget,” a spokesperson for the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications said.

“The figures, which are now ranges, will be absolute emissions ceilings for each sector over the carbon budget periods,” he added.

The exact level of the emissions ceiling for each sector will be set by the Government

It is understood that the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, expects to bring proposals on these sectoral ceilings to Government by the end of the second quarter this year.

The exact level of the emissions ceiling for each sector will be set by the Government following negotiations involving the relevant departments and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.

A 22% reduction in emissions will require a cut of around 4.8m tonnes. A 30% reduction in emissions will require a cut of around 6.6m tonnes

While sources close to the Department of Agriculture played down the significance of the move, it is clear that the farm sector will need to secure an emissions ceiling at the lower end of the 22% to 30% range in order to limit the impact of any climate-related restrictions.

The base emissions from which agriculture will have to reduce is 22m tonnes of CO2 equivalent. A 22% reduction in emissions will require a cut of around 4.8m tonnes. A 30% reduction in emissions will require a cut of around 6.6m tonnes.

Teagasc contends that a reduction of 18% of carbon emissions could be secured through the widespread adoption of existing technologies, such as greater use of protected urea and LESS equipment. However, this contention is predicated on livestock numbers remaining static.