Irish dairy farmers continue to face criticism for the nation’s failure to meet their ambitious climate targets. Gearóid Maher, a fifth-generation Irish dairy farmer, has made efforts to reduce emissions on his 210-acre farm in Cappamore. He has planted various crops such as chicory, plantain, brassica, kale leaves, and clover, as well as halving his nitrogen use and eliminating pesticides. However, these efforts have not been enough to satisfy the government’s emission reduction goals.
The Irish government aims to reduce emissions by 51% by the end of the decade and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Agriculture is responsible for approximately 40% of the nation’s emissions. In an attempt to reduce agricultural emissions, the government proposed culling 200,000 of the country’s 1.6 million dairy cows over the next three years. Cattle belch methane, which is a significant contributor to Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions.
This drastic measure is expected to lead to a 25% reduction in agricultural emissions by 2030. It is a response to Ireland’s rising emissions, which were among the highest in the European Union (EU) last year. However, progress in reducing emissions has been slow, with carbon emissions decreasing by just 1.9% last year. Farmers were responsible for cutting only 1.2% of that, a slight improvement from a 3.6% increase in 2021.
The Climate Change Advisory Council of Ireland has warned that urgent action is needed to meet the emission reduction targets. However, dairy farmers, who have increased their herd numbers by 38% in the past decade, feel unfairly targeted for the slow progress. They argue that they are already witnessing the effects of climate change and are taking steps to address it.
The dairy industry is a significant contributor to the Irish economy, generating €13.1 billion annually and supporting 54,000 jobs. It also recorded record exports of €6.8 billion last year. If Ireland were to cull 200,000 dairy cows, it would be equivalent to removing 1 million cars from the roads. The government’s proposal includes providing farmers with a payment of €3,000 per cow, amounting to nearly €200 million per year.
The Ministry of Agriculture has stated that it is currently exploring the reduction proposal further. The decision on whether to proceed with the culling of cows remains to be seen. In the meantime, Irish dairy farmers continue to face criticism and bear the burden of reducing emissions in the country.
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