Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 June 2026
43. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the new actions that will be included in future climate action plans to reduce agricultural emissions given they are likely to reduce by only 4% by 2030 with existing measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44547/26]
View answerRegarding the agriculture sector projections, the responsibility for managing emissions within that ceiling is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. It is worth noting that the projected 4% decrease (compared to the 2018 baseline) under the 'With Existing Measures' (WEM) scenario only includes policies or measures in place by the end of the latest inventory year (2024). Under the more ambitious 'With Additional Measures' (WAM) scenario which also includes additional planned measures (such as those in Climate Action Plans 2024 and 2025), a 19% emissions reduction is now projected by 2030.
By comparison, last year the EPA projected an increase in agricultural emissions of 1% to 2030 under the WEM scenario, and a decrease of 16% under the WAM scenario. This shows that the sector can make significant strides in the right direction when the additional measures are taken into account. It is too early to detail additional actions that will appear in future Climate Action Plans (CAPs). The detailed measures in the agriculture sector will be a matter to be agreed by the relevant Minister.
To maintain and build on our momentum in delivering this transformation across all sectors, we have put enhanced governance structures in place to speed up delivery and unlock barriers to progress. I now chair the Climate Action Delivery Board which meets on a quarterly basis; and the Climate Action Plan Programme Board has been newly established. These are providing direct oversight on the delivery of our highest impact measures across twelve cross-departmental taskforces, driving delivery in all major sectors, including the comprehensive suite of measures set out in both CAPs 2024 and 2025
