The Greening of Irish Agriculture

Transcription

1 The Greening of Irish Agriculture Responding to the Challenge of Climate Change Dublin Castle 9th January 2009 IIEA

2 The Institute of International and European Affairs has organized this conference in order to address one of the major strategic challenges facing the Irish economy: reducing emissions in line with the ambitious targets proposed by the EU for The Irish economy faces up to a 30% emissions reduction by 2020 on its domestic sector, largely made up of emissions from agriculture and transport. Another important factor to consider is the comparative size of the agricultural sector which is unique to Ireland within the EU. It accounts for 40% of domestic sector emissions, compared with an EU average of 9%. Irish agriculture emissions are predominantly made up of methane from farm animals and nitrous oxide from soils and fertilisers. Among developed countries, only New Zealand compares internationally. This means that Ireland has a unique strategic challenge and will be required to make the transition to sustainable agricultural production before its European partners. In the IIEA s recent publication, The Climate Change Challenge Strategic Issues, Options and Implication for Ireland, it was estimated that emissions in this sector could fall from approximately 19.5 Mt in 2005 to 17Mt by The EPA, however, projects that emissions from the sector will remain almost unchanged in the period to 2020, and that forestry provides significant offsetting potential. Failure to introduce cuts in the agriculture sector will mean an increase in the burden on other sectors. Eventually a point will be reached where Ireland s distance to target begins to appear unmanageable. The challenge we therefore face is determining how targets can be achieved without reducing the national herd and damaging the Irish economy. This situations, however, also provides Ireland with a unique opportunity. We are at the dawning of the era of a carbon conscious consumer and a carbon competitive market place. If Irish agriculture can find ways to meet these challenges, it will be positioned to take advantage of these trends. The skills and research developed in the process would be valuable not only in Ireland, but in Europe and the wider world. This conference will, I hope, provide a forum for the discussion of these ideas. I look forward to welcoming you to this seminal event which I am sure will be of great interest to a wide range of stakeholders and organisations active in the area. Jill Donoghue Director General. IIEA

3 CONFERENCE PROGRAMME 08:30 Registration & Coffee 09:00 Welcome by An Taoiseach Brian Cowen (TBC) PANEL 1: THE POLICY CONTEXT Chair: Sean Barrett T.D. Chairman, Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security 09:05 09:25 09:45 EU climate legislation: implications for European agriculture Michale Hamell, DG Environment The domestic policy context: responding to the climate challenge John Fox, Irish Department of Agriculture Addressing emissions from livestock agriculture: a perspective from New Zealand Hayden Montgomery, Department of Agriculture and Forestry of New Zealand Responses from key stakeholder organisations: 10:05 10:20 10:35 FDII: Enhancing Ireland s sustainable agri-food industry Michael Barry, Food and Drink Industry Ireland IFA: the challenges and opportunities for Irish farming Sean O Leary, Irish Farmers Association Questions & Answers 10:50 Coffee break

4 CONFERENCE PROGRAMME PANEL 2: REDUCING EMISSIONS FROM AGRICULTURE Chair: Mary Kelly, Director General, EPA 11:10 11:30 11:50 12:10 12:30 The potential for mitigating emissions from Irish agriculture Dr. Gary Lanigan, Teagasc Dairy production: comparison of EU life-cycle studies Dr. Maartje Sevenstar, CE Delft The Keenan Mech Fiber system: a breakthrough in ruminant feeding designed to improve the efficiency of feed utilization and significantly reduce methane production. Prof David Beever, R Keenan and Co. Reducing emissions in the arable sector John Geraghty, Geraghty Consulting Questions and Answers 13:00 11:10 Lunch

5 CONFERENCE PROGRAMME PANEL 3: OFFSETTING EMISSIONS Chair: Professor John Sweeney, ICARUS, NUI Maynooth 14:00 14:20 14:40 15:00 15:20 Using forestry to sequester carbon: projections to 2020 Dr. Eugene Hendrick, Coford Domestic offsetting schemes Paul Harris, Bank of Ireland Global Markets The role of green energy in meeting Ireland s emissions targets Ann Kehoe, Green Energy Growers Association Using grass to reduce emissions in the agriculture and transport sectors Dr. Jerry. D. Murphy, UCC Questions & Answers 15:30 Coffee break

6 CONFERENCE PROGRAMME CONFERENCE PROGRAMME PANEL 4: AWARENESS AND MARKETING Chair: Joe O Flynn, Group Strategy and Growth Director, Irish Dairy Board 15:45 16:05 16:25 16:45 16:55 Perspectives on climate change in rural Irish communities Elizabeth Arnett/Lorraine FitzGerald, RPS Group Carbon labeling: marketing low carbon goods Andrew Brocklehurst, Tesco The agri-food sector and carbon issues the sustainability challenge Ciaran FitzGerald, Meat Industry Ireland Presentation of the results of IIEA Survey: the future of Irish agriculture Joseph Curtin, IIEA Closing remarks Brendan Halligan, Chairman, IIEA

7 Conference Exhibition Space and Sponsorship Opportunities Available... CONFERENCE OPPORTUNITIES Exhibition Space EXHIBITION SPACE The IIEA/Dublin Castle a limited number of high quality exhibition opportunities. This conference will The be a IIEA/Dublin valuable event Castle for can making offer contacts, a limited networking number of high and lobbying. quality exhibition A physical opportunities. presence This is often conference the best will way be not a valuable only to promote event for business making development contacts, networking but also and to draw lobbying. attention A physical to particular presence issues, is often activities the best or products. way not only to promote business development but also to draw attention to particular issues, activities or products. The exhibition space is ideally located in the concourse area outside the main conference rooms. The Conference exhibition space delegates is ideally will automatically located in the pass concourse through area this outside area going the main into and conference out of the conference. rooms. Conference All intervals/coffee delegates breaks will automatically will also be centred pass through in the exhibition this area going area and into it and will out be of used the for the conference. many fringe All intervals/coffee and bilateral informal breaks meetings will also be between centred companies. in the exhibition area and it will be used for the many fringe and bilateral informal meetings between companies. SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES There are also still a small number of sponsorship opportunities available. Sponsorship of this international conference is an excellent way for organisations to raise their profile with a key audience of policy-makers, decision-makers, and potential business partners from across the agrifood sector. For further details or to discussion how your organisation can benefit from close association and involvement this conference, please contact Joseph Curtin on +353 (0) or joseph.curtin@iiea.com. IIEA

8 CONFERENCE VENUE Location Dublin Castle is situated in the very heart of Dublin City, on the south side of the River Liffey, off Dame Street, en route from Trinity College to Christchurch Cathedral. Public transport: Dublin Bus routes nos. 77, 77A, 56A and 49 from Eden Quay and no. 123 from O Connell Street stop at Palace Street Gate. From Connelly and Heuston stations, take the luas to O Connell Street and it is a short walk of approximately ten minutes from there.

9 CONFERENCE BOOKING FORM (Please complete in BLOCK CAPITALS) I would like to: Reserve delegate places at The Greening of Irish Agriculture 2009 Special discount rate for members of the IIEA and contributors to the IIEA s climate chnage working group: 95 = Conference delegate fee VAT@21% = Fee includes documentation, lunch and other refreshments served during the conference and is payable in advance. Fee does not include accommodation or travel. PAYMENT OPTIONS I enclose a cheque for Payable to the Institute of International and European Affairs Ho w to Bo o k Call Lynn FitzGerald on (01) for mastercard and visa bookings OR lynn.fitzgerald@iiea.com with completed booking form OR Complete booking form and send with cheque to: Lynn FitzGerald Institute of International and European Affairs 8 North Great Georges St. Dublin 1 Ireland Please debit my Visa / Access / Mastercard Card No. Name of card holder: Signature: Expiry Date: Card billing address (if different from company address): PERSONAL DETAILS Name: Job Title: Organisation: Address: Please invoice me PO Number: Postcode: Fax: Contact Telephone: IIEA Cancellations / substitutions For those unable to attend, a substitute delegate may be sent at any time for no additional charge. Alternatively a refund will be given for cancellations received in writing, by fax or letter, up to 21 days prior to the conference, less an administration charge of 25% plus VAT. Regrettably no refunds can be made after that date. Acknowledgement of registration Confirmation of registration will be sent to all delegates. Joining instructions will be sent out following receipt of registration details. If you have not received your acknowledgement seven days prior to the start of the conference, please contact us. Value Added Tax VAT is 21% for all delegates, including those attending from outside the Republic of Ireland. This position has been verified by the Revenue Commissioners.