Plan to include forestry in EU emissions trading schemes

IRELAND IS pushing for the inclusion of forestry as a “carbon sink” in future EU emissions trading schemes, the Institute of European Affairs told an Oireachtas committee yesterday.

But the institute’s Peter Brennan warned a choice may have to be made between “the cow and car” when it came to actual reductions in the amounts of carbon we generate.

Addressing the Oireachtas Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security, Mr Brennan said the European Union would likely set a target of a 30 per cent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020.

Papers produced by the institute showed the inclusion in greenhouse gas calculations of forestry – which absorbs carbon from the atmosphere and “sinks” it in wood – could reduce Ireland’s emissions by four million tonnes of carbon, a considerable amount of the “distance to target” the State must travel.

Smart meters that would assist households to generate and even sell electricity to the ESB and which will be installed by 2012 will reduce carbon emissions from households.

But Mr Brennan said that two of most difficult areas to effect a reduction in carbon emissions were in transport and agriculture.

This gave rise to “serious inter-sectoral issues” and in this case, it could even give rise to a choice between “cows or cars” Mr Brennan said.

In the case of agriculture, the State is presenting the scientific community with a considerable challenge in devising a way for farms to combat climate change.

Areas currently being looked at included animal husbandry, feeding stuffs, fertiliser, effluents and other wastes.

There is however, according to the institute, potential for waste to energy process from farming activities.

This may include capturing gas from slurry and using it to generate electricity or heat.

With regard to transport, Mr Brennan told the committee’s Liz McManus that the electric fuel cell offered hope of reducing emissions from one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gases.

Without a move to electric power Mr Brennan said he did not believe targets which would be in place for 2050, could possibly be met.

Other ways to combat transport emissions included planning decisions that were based around not using cars. In this regard, Denmark and Israel had shown the way, he said.