EPA - Ireland's Environment, An Integrated Assessment - 2020

Chapter 13: Environment and Agriculture Climate Action Plan and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Marginal Abatement Cost Curve for Irish Agriculture Climate abatement measures require widespread on-farm adoption and verification. In 2012, Teagasc published its first greenhouse gas emissions marginal abatement cost curve for Irish agriculture (Teagasc, 2012). This was followed by a second iteration (Teagasc, 2018), which was undertaken in the context of Food Wise 2025. This second iteration investigated 16 separate measures aimed at reducing emissions from livestock, manure management, fertiliser use and land use. The report suggested that mitigation of methane and nitrous oxide emissions could yield a reduction in emissions of 1.85 Mt CO 2 eq per annum. Furthermore, the report suggested that there is the potential for sequestration of 2.7 Mt CO 2 eq associated with land use measures. An emissions target of 17.5- 19 Mt CO 2 eq by 2030 under the government’s Climate Action Plan (DCCAE, 2019) has been agreed for the agriculture sector. The measures identified to achieve this target, however, exist on paper only and require widespread on-farm adoption. On-the-ground verification of their use for inclusion in national emissions inventory and projection estimates is also required. In 2019 the DAFM launched a public consultation on Ag-Climatise: A Draft National Climate and Air Roadmap for the Agriculture Sector to 2030 and Beyond. This document set out the unique climate and air challenges facing Irish agriculture, the opportunities that may arise from meeting emission targets and ambitions. At the time of writing of this report (October 2020), the final plan has not as yet been published. This plan will also form the basis of required activities in the agriculture sector under the National Air Pollution Control Programme. National Air Pollution Control Programme Implementation of the adopted Code of Good Agricultural Practice for reducing ammonia emissions will be central to reducing emissions, but other measures could be needed. Reporting of air pollutants is an obligation for all European Member States (Chapter 3) and annual emissions of air pollutants are regulated under the National Emission Ceilings Directive. Article 10(1) of this Directive requires a National Air Pollution Control Programme to be developed. A draft programme for Ireland was submitted to the European Commission in 2019, with an updated final version to be submitted in autumn 2020. The agricultural sector is a significant contributor to nitrogen oxide, NMVOC and particulate matter emissions in Ireland; however, it is almost solely responsible (> 99%) for national ammonia emissions and as such the sector will have to play a significant role in reducing these emissions. A Code of Good Agricultural Practice for reducing ammonia emissions was published in late 2019 (DAFM, 2019c). The measures outlined in the Code are voluntary but will play an important role when adopted at farm level in decreasing ammonia emissions and moving Ireland onto a pathway towards compliance. Additionally Teagasc (2015, 2019a, 2020b) has produced marginal abatement cost curves of the abatement of ammonia from Irish agriculture. This type of analysis represents an economic and technical assessment of the best available abatement techniques, based on scientific, peer-reviewed research conducted by Teagasc and associated national and international partners. Industrial Emissions Licences for Pig and Poultry Installations Ammonia emissions and organic fertiliser (slurry and manure) from the intensive pig and poultry sectors must be properly managed to prevent environmental pollution. Intensive pig and poultry-rearing installations are required to hold an Industrial Emissions Licence from the EPA. These installations have the potential to impact on the environment; for example, ammonia emissions can negatively impact on sensitive habitats, such as mosses (bryophytes), and organic fertiliser (slurry and manure) can impact on water quality if not managed properly. Chapter 10 provides further details of the licensing process for these and other installations. Each licence includes conditions that control the operation of the activities and requires licensees to prevent, reduce and eliminate as far as possible emissions into air, water and land arising from such activities. The licence conditions are in addition to the requirements of other environmental regulations, including the European Union (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations and the Animal By-products regulations. 343