A new study claims that farmers can reduce agricultural emissions by up to 18 per cent if incentivised to implement modern technologies.
The research, which was carried out by the Irish Farmers Journal and KMPG, says a 30 per cent reduction in emissions in the agricultural sector will result in the loss of 60,000 jobs.
This comes as the Government is set to announce a climate plan which will give new targets for cutting emissions in the agricultural sector.
Earlier this week, the Climate Change Advisory Council released two five year carbon budget plans which are part of the long-term strategy to make Ireland carbon-neutral by 2050.
Farm groups have since come out strongly against the main targets of the carbon budget plan, claiming it will have a significant negative impact on their sector.
Investment
Speaking to Newstalk, Phelim O'Neill from the Irish Farmers Journal said farmers could do a lot with current technology to reduce carbon emissions
"The positive thing that emerged from the report, we believe is that... we can get somewhere between 13 and 18 per cent of a reduction in agriculture emissions by farmers basically investing in it," Mr O'Neill said.
"It will require investment in adopting the best practice for the use of fertilisers, slurry spreading, and for doing all the things that farmers do."
One issue which raised alarm bells during the week was the possibility of having to reduce the size of the national herd.
However, Minister for Transport and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has that it will be unlikely for that to happen.
The reduction in numbers is likely to occur naturally, he told RTÉ radio’s Today with Claire Byrne show.
Mr Ryan also said that the change in farming for the new plan would take the most time, but that this was an opportunity for the new generation of farmers to try new methods that would protect the land.
