The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) recently produced provisional estimates of greenhouse gas emissions for the time period 1990-2014. The results show that agriculture emissions are 1.1% lower in 2014 compared with 2013 levels. This reduction is because farmers used less N-fertiliser and lime during 2014. The reduction is also significant as dairy cow numbers increased by 4.6% in 2014. In addition, sheep numbers increased by 2.3% and pig numbers increased by 1.3%. In contrast, cattle numbers reduced by 1.5%.

The longer term trend shows a steady decline in agriculture emissions, down by 9.6% in 2014 compared with 1990 levels. Total Irish greenhouse gas emissions are estimated at 58.21 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2014. Agriculture remains the largest contributor to our overall emissions at 33.3%. This is in large part due to the structure of our economy, as we have less heavy industry compared to other developed economies.

By Eamonn Farrell

ICOS Agri & Food Policy Executive