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LMC calls for single climate bill for Northern Ireland
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<blockquote data-quote="Agriland RSS" data-source="post: 7798046" data-attributes="member: 105608"><p>Written by Richard Halleron from Agriland</p><p></p><p>Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) chief executive, Ian Stevenson, believes there is scope for politicians at Stormont to agree on a way forward, which allows for discussion on a single climate change bill for Northern Ireland.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Specifically, this would require a meeting of minds between the Green Party’s Clare Bailey and Agriculture Minister, Edwin Poots, who are both championing their respective approaches to climate change legislation at the Assembly.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The end result of such a process would be the progression of a single climate bill to go through the various legislative procedures at Stormont, unimpaired.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>“We don’t need two climate change bills,” Ian Stevenson stressed to <strong><em>Agriland</em></strong>.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>“So the idea of all the parties getting round the table and agreeing the principles associated with a single piece of legislation makes total sense.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><h2>Climate bill targets</h2><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Specifically, the LMC representative views the carbon bill ‘net zero’ aspiration for Northern Ireland by 2045, espoused by Clare Bailey, as being fundamentally flawed.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>He explained: “In the first instance, such a target is not achievable. Moreover, any attempt to go down this road will fundamentally damage Northern Ireland’s farming and food sectors.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>“The implications of such a development are extremely significant.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>In contrast, Ian Stevenson believes that the<a href="https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/what-does-climate-change-bill-no-2-have-in-store-for-ni/" target="_blank"> carbon footprint targets set out in Edwin Poots’ bill</a> make sense in terms of where evidence and science predicts it is possible to get to, without causing harm to the economy and rural society of Northern Ireland.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>In essence, these reflect the Balanced Net Zero Pathway principles put forward by the UK’s Committee on Climate Change (CCC) according to Stevenson.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>These envisage the UK, as a whole, reaching ‘net zero’ by 2050, with Northern Ireland securing at least an 82% reduction in greenhouse gases [GHGs] relative to 1990 levels, within this time period.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Stevenson continued: “The CCC recommendations take account of the key role played by farming and food within the local economy.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><h2>Food production</h2><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Looking to the future, Ian Stevenson believes that local farming and food can meet the challenge of climate change without having to reduce current production levels.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>He continued: “Farmers can secure much greater levels of efficiency within their businesses by making better use of the management systems and technologies that are available right now.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>“It won’t be. Farming and food is now on a journey, where climate change is concerned. And we need to see significant results being achieved over the next decade,” he added.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><h2>Future sustainability</h2><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The LMC’s chief executive views the journey towards a significantly reduced carbon footprint for local agriculture as akin to that of plotting a course towards sustainability for every farm business.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>“There are so many things that famers can do right now to offset and reduce the carbon footprint of their businesses,” he commented.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>“They can grow trees on parcels of land that are best suited to the creation of new woodland, while also expanding the footprint of their hedgerows.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Stevenson made the comments in the run-up to the COP26 summit, which kicks-off in Glasgow on October 31.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>He recognises that agriculture, in its own right, has not been singled out for discussion in the formal agenda for the event.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>“But there is plenty of scope for the future of farming and food to be discussed in a very serious and strategic manner throughout the 13 days of the event, as negotiators focus on relevant topics such as transport, energy, finance, nature, adaptation, science and innovation,” he stressed.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The post <a href="https://www.agriland.co.uk/farming-news/lmc-calls-for-single-climate-bill-for-northern-ireland/" target="_blank">LMC calls for single climate bill for Northern Ireland</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.agriland.co.uk" target="_blank">Agriland.co.uk</a>.</p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.agriland.co.uk/farming-news/lmc-calls-for-single-climate-bill-for-northern-ireland/" target="_blank">Continue reading on the Agriland Website...</a></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Agriland RSS, post: 7798046, member: 105608"] Written by Richard Halleron from Agriland Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) chief executive, Ian Stevenson, believes there is scope for politicians at Stormont to agree on a way forward, which allows for discussion on a single climate change bill for Northern Ireland. Specifically, this would require a meeting of minds between the Green Party’s Clare Bailey and Agriculture Minister, Edwin Poots, who are both championing their respective approaches to climate change legislation at the Assembly. The end result of such a process would be the progression of a single climate bill to go through the various legislative procedures at Stormont, unimpaired. “We don’t need two climate change bills,” Ian Stevenson stressed to [B][I]Agriland[/I][/B]. “So the idea of all the parties getting round the table and agreeing the principles associated with a single piece of legislation makes total sense. [HEADING=1]Climate bill targets[/HEADING] Specifically, the LMC representative views the carbon bill ‘net zero’ aspiration for Northern Ireland by 2045, espoused by Clare Bailey, as being fundamentally flawed. He explained: “In the first instance, such a target is not achievable. Moreover, any attempt to go down this road will fundamentally damage Northern Ireland’s farming and food sectors. “The implications of such a development are extremely significant. In contrast, Ian Stevenson believes that the[URL='https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/what-does-climate-change-bill-no-2-have-in-store-for-ni/'] carbon footprint targets set out in Edwin Poots’ bill[/URL] make sense in terms of where evidence and science predicts it is possible to get to, without causing harm to the economy and rural society of Northern Ireland. In essence, these reflect the Balanced Net Zero Pathway principles put forward by the UK’s Committee on Climate Change (CCC) according to Stevenson. These envisage the UK, as a whole, reaching ‘net zero’ by 2050, with Northern Ireland securing at least an 82% reduction in greenhouse gases [GHGs] relative to 1990 levels, within this time period. Stevenson continued: “The CCC recommendations take account of the key role played by farming and food within the local economy. [HEADING=1]Food production[/HEADING] Looking to the future, Ian Stevenson believes that local farming and food can meet the challenge of climate change without having to reduce current production levels. He continued: “Farmers can secure much greater levels of efficiency within their businesses by making better use of the management systems and technologies that are available right now. “It won’t be. Farming and food is now on a journey, where climate change is concerned. And we need to see significant results being achieved over the next decade,” he added. [HEADING=1]Future sustainability[/HEADING] The LMC’s chief executive views the journey towards a significantly reduced carbon footprint for local agriculture as akin to that of plotting a course towards sustainability for every farm business. “There are so many things that famers can do right now to offset and reduce the carbon footprint of their businesses,” he commented. “They can grow trees on parcels of land that are best suited to the creation of new woodland, while also expanding the footprint of their hedgerows. Stevenson made the comments in the run-up to the COP26 summit, which kicks-off in Glasgow on October 31. He recognises that agriculture, in its own right, has not been singled out for discussion in the formal agenda for the event. “But there is plenty of scope for the future of farming and food to be discussed in a very serious and strategic manner throughout the 13 days of the event, as negotiators focus on relevant topics such as transport, energy, finance, nature, adaptation, science and innovation,” he stressed. The post [URL='https://www.agriland.co.uk/farming-news/lmc-calls-for-single-climate-bill-for-northern-ireland/']LMC calls for single climate bill for Northern Ireland[/URL] appeared first on [URL='https://www.agriland.co.uk']Agriland.co.uk[/URL]. [url="https://www.agriland.co.uk/farming-news/lmc-calls-for-single-climate-bill-for-northern-ireland/"]Continue reading on the Agriland Website...[/url] [/QUOTE]
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