Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 February 2024
100. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he remains satisfied that agrifood imports into this country from whatever source are only allowed from countries adhering to similar carbon reduction measures that apply in this jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8249/24]
View answerIreland has an obligation to contribute to global efforts to mitigate climate change, and the agri-food sector has a critical role to play in these efforts. The Government has committed to an economy-wide target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 51% by 2030. My position has been consistent that each sector, including agriculture, will need to play its part to achieve this target. We have a number of policies and strategies in place to ensure agriculture plays its role in meeting the national climate targets by 2030 and 2050, while continuing to produce food sustainably.
Agri-food imports are of course subject to a range of requirements that must be met when entering the EU single market. The EU manages trade relations with third countries in the form of trade agreements. They are designed to create better trading opportunities and overcome related barriers. The EU's trade policy is also used as a vehicle for the promotion of European principles and values, from democracy and human rights to environment and social rights.
Recent EU Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and FTA negotiations contain sustainability chapters. New EU FTAs provide an opportunity to address the threats associated with climate change through the inclusion of detailed chapters on Trade and Sustainable Development. Such chapters include provisions which underscore the importance of implementing the provisions of the Paris Agreement and promote the positive contribution that trade can make on the pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions. For example, the EU FTA with New Zealand, which reached political agreement in June 2022, includes a Trade and Sustainability Chapter which is aligned to the EU’s new “Trade Agreements for Green and Just Growth” approach. This allows for stronger and more enforceable sustainability commitments and a specific list of green goods and services liberalised from the first day of application of the agreement.
Food Vision 2030 is Ireland’s shared stakeholder-led strategy for the agri-food sector and aims for Ireland to be “a world leader in sustainable food systems”. This means that it will be profitable throughout (economic sustainability), have a positive or neutral impact on the natural environment (environmental sustainability), and have broad based benefits for society (social sustainability). One of Food Vision's objectives is to achieve a climate-neutral food system by 2050, with verifiable progress by 2030, encompassing emissions, biodiversity, and water quality, as well as a range of other targets for forestry, fisheries, organic farming, and food waste.
Under the Government's Climate Action Plans, the pathway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the sector is clearly set out. These measures are grouped around three themes: inputs and additives, husbandry practices, and diversification. In practical terms, the types of actions that the sector is undertaking include reducing chemical nitrogen usage and changing fertiliser type, providing voluntary diversification options for farmers, while also improving the environmental dividend from our farmed land.
Guided by Food Vision 2030, the agriculture sector is undergoing a significant transformation. I believe that this will future proof Ireland’s agri-food sector for the benefit of our sector, the environment and our farm families, who are the backbone of the sector and rural communities. Agri-food in Ireland will continue to be underpinned by our world class livestock and tillage sectors, and it is critical that we work collectively to achieve our environmental targets while maintaining food production.
