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The Journal
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Big shift in favour of dairy farming among scenarios proposed in government's land reforms
DRAFT PROPOSALS FROM a land review commissioned by the last government show a major shift towards dairy farming. The Land Use Review was formed to address future land use in Ireland and making the sector climate neutral up to 2050, and covered issues ranging from emissions from agriculture to how to restore habitats and water bodies across the country. The draft recommendations – seen by The Journal – are likely to cause anger among environmentalists, given disputes of recent years around the environmental pollution arising from intensive dairy farming. Some farmer groups also believe a number of the proposals are unrealistic and may cause frustration for their members. The proposals have also resulted in alarm for some of those who took part in the process, with a representative from one environmental group arguing that the measures risk being a 'step backwards' for Ireland's climate targets. One farming representative who took part in the discussions told us they believe many of the recommendations would place a burden on non-dairy farmers. The intensive nature of dairy farming and its impact on the environment has been of significant concern for environmental groups in recent years, while the proposed shift towards dairy will likely frustrate farmers in the hard-pressed beef sector. Scenarios for the future Several of the scenarios submitted to government departments responsible for implementing the recommendations propose a 10:1 ratio of dairy farming to beef farming. The current ratio is estimated to be 3:2 in favour of dairy. One scenario put forward by the report recommended keeping this more balanced ratio, but with added environmental measures and an emphasis on paying farmers for work maintaining nature. The report, which follows the second phase of the Land Use Review, was submitted to the Department of Agriculture and Department of Climate, Environment and Energy in recent weeks. In terms of agriculture's impact on the climate, the sector was the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions last year , making up 34.3% of Ireland's emissions. While agriculture emissions fell by 4.6% in 2023 when compared to 2022, that still only represented a 2.9% fall in emissions since 2018. According to sections of the draft document, it states that desired outcomes are to make Irish farming climate neutral and to restore ecosystems, from biodiversity protections to water quality. One recent report by the Environmental Protection Agency found a 'welcome reduction' in water pollution arising from nitrogen used by farmers fertilising their land – although the watchdog said levels were still too high in the dairy farming heartland of the south-east. Criticism The draft proposals have been criticised by some of those who took part in the review. Fintan Kelly, an agriculture policy officer for the Irish Environment Network, took part of the review and said that many of the draft recommendations are 'much more limited in scope' than expected and risk being a 'step backwards' for Ireland's climate targets. Advertisement 'They seem to be designed primarily to protect business as usual in the intensive dairy sector, by shielding the most profitable, farmers in the country in the wealthiest part of the country that are producing a lot of pollution, greenhouse gasses, but also water pollution because of the big issues with nitrates.' Kelly added that he feared the review would end up being a 'total disaster' for biodiversity and water quality targets. The report has higher ambitions for rewetting of bogs, aiming for 90% of peatland to be rewetted by 2050. This is higher than the 70% target under the EU Nature Restoration Law. But Kelly said this risked 'creating an east-west divide' in the country, where the 'most profitable and least sustainable farmers in the east are allowed to continue as normal while the burden of change is shifted onto the least profitable farmers who also represent the majority of farm families'. Daniel Long, a member of farming and food policy campaign group Talamh Beo who took part in the review, raised concerns about the direction of the final report. 'If you were from an environmental persuasion or farming persuasion, I think both sides could very much argue that they were dissatisfied. I'm living in the south of the country myself and what you want is fairness across for whatever type of farming you're doing,' Long said. Long also questioned whether farmers based on the western side of the country may be subject to the 'majority' of the environmental measures, unlike farmers in more dairy focused regions across the east and south. 'If you look at the eastern side, we're the ones with the issues with the water quality and we're the ones with the intensive farming,' Long said. 'So is it fair that the farmers on the western side of the country pay for that? I would say, as a farmer, no. Of course the minister needs to reflect on all of this in the final recommendations.' Denis Drennan, president of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association – one of the largest farming organisations in the country – believes the 10:1 ratios are unrealistic. Drennan said that it will take serious effort to reverse the 'huge problem' of generational renewal, meaning ensuring that retiring farmers have successors to take over from them. 'It's a great success story for the country that we have so many options for young people but it means there's a decreasing number of people willing to take over a farm,' Drennan said. 'The policy review was driven by the Green Party very much, which is fine, but we have to get in touch with reality here,' Drennan added, outlining that reducing emissions needs to be done in a way that is fair to farmers. As to whether some of the draft scenarios may cause a rift between farmers themselves, Drennan said 'that's there already' for beef and dairy farmers because of a 'huge demand for land' among competing farms. 'A review of our land use is badly needed because at the moment it's taking place in different silos, from forestry, to solar farms, organic farming and more. But you need to get to grips with generation renewal to even make that work.' When contacted, a spokesperson for the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment said that the final report was submitted to Cabinet ministers across a number of government departments covering climate, housing and agriculture. 'The Ministers, before reporting to government, are currently considering the report,' the spokesperson said. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Examiner
30-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Developing a new national plan for offshore wind energy
At the start of May, Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy Darragh O'Brien TD announced that work has started on a new national map to identify locations where future offshore wind farms can be developed. The national Designated Maritime Area Plan (DMAP) for offshore wind will be developed by the Department of Climate, Environment and Energy, and will involve extensive data-gathering and public consultation. It is due to be completed by the end of 2027. Ireland's first DMAP was approved by the Oireachtas late last year and identified four sites off the coast of Waterford for new offshore wind farms. The map was produced following an extensive public consultation with coastal communities in Waterford, Cork, and Wexford and was informed by detailed environmental, scientific and engineering expertise. The fishing community on the south coast was heavily involved in the process, working with the Government to ensure that, as much as possible, the impact on fishing activity from the development of offshore wind energy within the DMAP was minimised. Four areas off the south coast of Ireland have been identified for offshore wind in the Government's draft "DMAP". An auction for the first of those four sites, known as Tonn Nua — the Irish for 'New Wave' — will be held before the end of the year to build a 900 MW wind farm at that location though there continues to be uncertainty over the Government's plans for the three other sites. Managed and sustainable 'The use of strategically planned DMAPs will ensure that developments in Ireland's maritime area take place in a managed and sustainable way,' said Minister O'Brien. 'An integrated, national approach will ensure that strategic forward planning for skills, enterprise and the industry-wide supply chain development can take place. 'Ports will have the ability to forward plan for the necessary large-scale offshore infrastructure build-outs required to support ORE development, while forward planning for grid and interconnection can occur within the framework of a long-term holistic view. By focusing on a single DMAP, we will be able to maximise our resources.' The Irish wind energy industry welcomed the announcement as providing greater certainty and ambition for Ireland's offshore wind energy future while highlighting concerns about the timeline for completion. Industry response 'This will take time,' said Wind Energy Ireland CEO Noel Cunniffe, 'and our members will do everything they can to help speed things up, but once complete this will provide enough sites to accelerate the development of offshore renewable energy and to put Ireland firmly at the heart of Europe's response to the energy and climate crises. 'But it won't be done in 2027 if the resources, the personnel and the expertise isn't in place to ensure we hit that target. The offshore wind industry has struggled with missed deadlines from Government in the past and we can't afford more slippages.' The industry sees the budget later this year as, effectively, the Government's only opportunity to allocate enough funding if the 2027 deadline is to be hit. Resources will be needed to collect and buy data on Ireland's maritime area, to commission marine surveys and to ensure a thorough and transparent public consultation. It will also be critical to ensure that the development of the new national DMAP aligns with plans for new Marine Protected Areas. Legislation has long been promised to help Ireland meet its international obligation to designate 30 per cent of Irish waters as Marine Protected Areas by 2030. Marine protection While the Bill is listed as a priority in the Government's legislative calendar it is unlikely it will be enacted before work on the national DMAP is, at a minimum, significantly advanced. It is a challenge of which Minister for State at the Department of Climate, Environment and Energy with special responsibility for the Marine, Timmy Dooley TD, is very conscious. 'As an island nation with an extensive maritime territory, Ireland has one of the best offshore wind resources in the world,' he said. 'The development of offshore wind projects, including floating offshore wind and other innovative technologies throughout our coastal areas, offers enormous economic opportunities for coastal communities, in terms of jobs growth and local community development. 'It also provides the opportunity to align with future Marine Protected Areas. The DMAP development process will be inclusive and will provide comprehensive consultation opportunities.' The development of the new national map has the potential to boost confidence in Ireland as a place to invest within the wider offshore wind energy industry and to produce a strong pipeline of new projects. But doubts persist over whether the Government will be able to meet the timeline it has set itself. And while work on the national DMAP must start immediately the greater priority is the remaining five offshore projects already in the planning system. With the likely loss of the Sceirde Rocks project off the coast of Galway the risks to the other projects must be minimised and this has to be at the top of Minister O'Brien's to-do list.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Social Media Hype and the Weather
Meteorologist Jacob Dickey sits down with Jessie Choate, a Senior Instructor and Academic Advisor and the Broadcast Meteorologist instructor at the University of Illinois' Department of Climate, Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences to talk more about how social media has become a source of weather information that can be hard to distinguish and understand. Get more stories and content like this from the 2025 WCIA Weather Special by visiting Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
