Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan has been accused of conducting a “divisive” campaign on climate change, which has pointed the finger of blame for high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at farmers.

In a hard-hitting open letter to Minister Ryan, the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) said farmers were angry and annoyed at the manner in which the public debate has been conducted.

The INHFA accused Minister Ryan and his Green Party colleagues of pitting farmers against other sections of society in an effort to drive the argument for a 30% reduction in GHG emissions from agriculture, rather than the 22% being sought by the farm sector.

“You and your party colleagues are determined to see a 30% reduction in agriculture. You have outlined that this is necessary to ensure other sectors of the economy and households are not over-burdened through potential GHG reductions and possible penalties,” claimed INHFA president Vincent Roddy.

'Narrative'

“In driving this narrative, the finger of blame is being pointed at farmers, who are understandably quite annoyed at the divisive manner in which the debate is being conducted,” he added.

“I would advise you [Minister Ryan] to pull back and ensure your Government commences a constructive engagement with the farming community and their representatives,” Roddy said.

Roddy maintained that Minister Ryan and the Government had failed to engage in a meaningful manner with the farm sector on their climate change policy and on the emissions reduction targets that are being imposed.

Among the issues of concern cited by the INHFA were:

  • The decision to separate agriculture and land use in terms of emissions’ calculations, thereby preventing farmers from offsetting agricultural emissions through actions such as planting forestry.
  • The decision by Ireland to favour the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) model as opposed to the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to calculate agricultural emissions. By choosing this model, the INHFA claimed that Ireland had undermined its grass-fed production model and the country’s “naturally reared suckler systems”.
  • The continuing debate on the impact of methane on climate change. The INHFA pointed out that two groups of academics giving scientific evidence to a recent Oireachtas hearing were not in agreement with each other’s calculation methods on methane. The INHFA said this debate illustrated that the science relating to the detail of climate change was still evolving.