Press release
Minister McConalogue launches consultation to guide the development of a National Carbon Framework
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, and Minister of State, Martin Heydon, today launched a public consultation to guide the development of a National Carbon Farming Framework.
Minister McConalogue in outlining how carbon farming is a potential opportunity for farmers and land managers to derive a new income stream for their farm said:
“To generate recompenses for our farmers in the actions they take to remove and store carbon in our soils, forests, grasslands, croplands and hedgerows, a well-functioning Carbon Farming Framework that provides confidence, verification and certification is essential."
From a national perspective, Carbon Farming can be a key enabler to assist the sector in meeting Ireland's climate targets as set out in its most recent Climate Action Plan (2023). There is a need to establish a national carbon farming framework through a suite of carbon farming measures that compliments the environmental activity within the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023-2027 while being cognisant of the trajectory and requirements at EU level, within a parallel process.
This consultation seeks views to inform how the Framework is customised to an Irish context through a high-level online survey.
Minister McConalogue said:
“It is now timely to access ideas and insights from the public relating to the creation of a Carbon Farming Framework that will support and reward farmers/landowners to meet National Climate objectives. A credible framework is a necessary first step to support our farmers/land managers in the areas of carbon removal, emission reductions, and ecosystem services.”
Minister of State with responsibility for research and development, Martin Heydon said:
“We have been developing and supporting initiatives to gather national baseline data for a range of activities. This will be key to developing a carbon sequestration reward model. To date we have provided for the establishment of the National Agricultural Soil Carbon Observatory and the pilot Soil Sampling Programme, along with a range of research projects on peat soils."
Minister Heydon added:
"These investments build our capacity to deliver an important climate contribution from the sector in the years ahead and I would encourage all farmers, foresters, and landowners to engage in this public consultation.”
Parallel, to the public consultation, a multi-stakeholder working group is being established to oversee the development of the Framework. The findings of this consultation will inform their decision making on the scope of the Framework. Key areas include identifying existing knowledge relevant to the establishment of baseline data, making recommendations for pathways to address knowledge gaps, assessing future auditing requirements, the development of voluntary carbon codes, examining the possibility to leverage private financing through public/private partnerships, and the identification of best practice governance structures.
Minister McConalogue said:
“This public consultation will cover areas of importance to farmers, landowners and foresters alike who have been calling for the establishment of initiatives which support their participation in voluntary carbon markets. My department has for a number of years been involved in similar initiatives under the Woodland Environmental Fund and Agroforestry Scheme and we can clearly see the benefit to both participant and government of incentivising not only on-farm tree planting but a broad range of carbon farming practices. In particular, this Woodland Environment Fund provides a pre-existing model for targeted payments to land managers for their positive environmental activities."
Ministers McConalogue and Heydon acknowledged the important partnership with EIT Climate-KIC, Europe’s largest climate innovation initiative. As part of this collaboration, DAFM and EIT Climate-KIC have been closely working with Irish stakeholders through interviews and workshops to gather their views on barriers and opportunities, but also to map the steps needed to realise Ireland’s ambition of becoming a global leader in sustainable agri-food systems. Now, the partnership is diving into its next phase, by activating a portfolio of innovation solutions across seven flagship areas.
In conclusion, Minister McConalogue said:
“In the development of Carbon Farming, it is important to note that many challenges and uncertainty still remains; including establishing baseline data, quantification and verification of emission reductions as well as certification processes and my department continues to work in this area.”
Guidance document Carbon Farming Framework for Ireland
In November 2022, the European Commission published a proposal on the ’certification of carbon removals to boost removal technologies and sustainable farming solutions‘. The proposal underpins the EU’s long-term strategy to make Europe climate-neutral by 2050 and also set out new rules for the independent verification of carbon removals and for certification schemes. Enhancing the storage of carbon in soils and forests or reduce its release from soils and create a ‘new business model for farmers and foresters’.
EIT Climate-KIC is Europe’s leading climate innovation agency and community, using a systems approach to shape innovation to support cities, regions, countries and industries meet their climate ambitions. Through radical collaboration with partners across the globe, EIT Climate-KIC orchestrates large-scale demonstrations that show what is possible when cycles of innovation and learning are deliberately designed to trigger exponential decarbonisation and build resilient communities.
The Climate Action Plan 2023 (CAP23), launched in December 2022, is the second annual update to Ireland’s Climate Action Plan 2019.
This plan is the first to be prepared under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 and following the introduction of economy-wide carbon budgets and sectoral emissions ceilings.
Implementation of the Climate Action Plan will create jobs, new economic opportunities and protect people and the planet. Read CAP23 and its annex of actions.