news review on climate bill developments

 

What happens next on Climate Bill in build-up to Ireland’s first carbon budget?

Government has approved the appointment of three new members to the Climate Change Advisory Council

Wed, Mar 24, 2021, 17:18 Updated: Wed, Mar 24, 2021, 19:05

Kevin O'Sullivan Environment & Science Editor

 

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Climate Bill: Implementation critical, warns environment coalition

Farmers call on Government to acknowledge sector’s efforts to improve carbon efficiency

Wed, Mar 24, 2021, 20:33 Updated: Wed, Mar 24, 2021, 20:36

Kevin O'Sullivan Environment & Science Editor

 

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Climate Bill a chance to set new anti-fossil fuel norms

It is vital State achieves its 7 per cent annual emissions reduction target

26.3.2021

Sadhbh O'Neill

 

 

let's talk about agricultural emissions

Politicians do not like hot potatoes. For many reasons. The main one is this: the data are complicated and most politicians are not experts of their field. Nothing wrong with that. But they can seek advice before they commit to policies. Because at the end of the political day, policies should be based on science.

One of this hot potatoes today in Ireland is the "sacred cows": agricultural emissions and the food chain. The main gases that are emitted from cattle are carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane.

Greenhouse gas emissions are commonly presented in units of billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Gt CO2e). The de facto way of converting non-CO2 emissions to CO2e is to multiply the gas by its GWP100 (global warming potential over 100 years). The value of GWP100 for methane (CH4) from the last IPCC assessment report is 28. This means that methane has 28 times as much “global warming potential” as CO2, so 1Gt CH4 equates to 28 GtCO2e.

However, there is a problem here: CH4 has a half-life of 10 years, ie after ten years, only half of CH4 still exists; after 20 years, only a quarter. This complicates the calculations slightly but as I said at the top, good Science can always help.

Or as Prof Mitloehner explains: 
"The so called biogenic carbon cycle is continuous. In the case of biogenic methane, its carbon originates from atmospheric CO2, goes through plant photosynthesis, then enteric/manure methane, then via hydroxyl oxidation into CO2 again. This process takes approx one decade".  

Let's have a look now on the food side.  

The beef sector in Ireland is very significant accounting for over one-third of all agricultural output and over 20 percent of total Irish food and drink exports. The agri-food sector in general provides direct and indirect employment to over 300,000 people with over 13,000 employed in the meat processing sector alone. The value of beef exports is growing and exceeded €2.6 billion in 2017. Domestic consumption of Irish beef accounted for a further €230 million last year. In all, the value of the Irish beef sector is estimated to be almost €2.9 billion.

So, when we talk about reducing emissions, part of the discussion should be the impact of reducing emissions to farmers and meat industry. This is where it gets complicated and the stakes are rising.

Let me finish on a personal note: I started working on waste management and its impact on the food chain about 13 years ago in the case of Asopos. Poor waste management resulted to polluted water and cross-contaminated food chain with Ni and Cr.
In that case, the polluters should pollute less by investing in cleaner technologies. This, never happened in Asopos. Because the Greek State accepted that polluting (the water and the food chain) is less costly than reducing the chemical wastes.

The end point is this: Science and Technology offer the tools. Politicians need to use the tools wisely and transform the Society. If at the end of the day, we may have to reduce (let's say by 10%) the agricultural sector but at the same time provide subsidized retraining of affected people to newer, greener (not green-washing) technologies, let's consider it. Doing nothing can not be a solution.

IZ



P.S. Many thanks to Prof Frank Mitloehner for the literature.
 

"we'll have our salads ready to go" - Κλαυσίγελος

 

 

I think I live in a parallel universe , when I read comments made in the Dail "we’ll have our salads"...

 

In terms of food security,  it is quite sad to hear these words coming from the leader of the green party in Ireland, the  party that is supposed to make a difference, to green our policies, to engage people in actions against climate change.

As a food scientist, I do not know if I can laugh or cry... in Greek, the word "κλαυσίγελος" means exactly that - cry and smile - together...

 

Reading again and again, the extract below, I feel that our leaders have not comprehended the serious societal and psychological and fiscal impact of this crisis. 

 

And, ok... 

fine...

I should not be grumpy, at the end of the day I am on the privileged part of the ladder...

I do not mourn for myself!

 

BUT

 

What about the 400.000 - 500.000 (out of 2.3M) people who have to face short/mid/long-term unemployment?

 

What support is going to be there for all of them?

 

Apart from Green salads...

 

 

IZ

 

 

P.S.Below is an extract of Mirriam's article on the Irish Times (20.3.2020)

 

Garden centres

In an unusual, somewhat whimsical speech, the Green Party leader also made a plea for garden centres to be kept open. A good idea – gets people out in the fresh air. They can also buy seeds and plants and do up a sunny window-box when they are self-isolation. And if food supplies become scarce and things hit really hard in a month or two, “we’ll have our salads ready to go.”
The Taoiseach arrived for the start of the debate, mainly to give moral support to his Minister for Health, who looks knackered. Face the colour of chalk, eyes like the proverbial two cigarette burns in a blanket, Simon Harris put in a very impressive and reassuring performance despite his appearance.
Speaking of food supplies, the Taoiseach appeared to pop a large boiled sweet in his mouth when he sat down. Although it could have been a hard boiled egg – hard to see from our socially distant distance. We could see his jaw moving and cheeks bulging, though, for much of his sojourn in the chamber.
He didn’t speak. Tánaiste Simon Coveney spoke near the end of the debate. He was straight-talking, like the Taoiseach had been during his state of the nation address on Monday night.
“This period will pass but will scar Irish society in a way that we are trying to limit as best we can,” he said. “The decisions that we make, the leadership that we give and the certainty that we give in terms of people protecting themselves will be the difference between whether this virus kills hundreds of people, thousands of people or tens of thousands of people in Ireland. It’s as simple as that.”