Policy to Pasture: Bridging the Gap Between Climate Targets and Irish Agricultural Realities

Ireland faces a unique challenge in reconciling its position as a major agricultural producer with increasingly ambitious climate targets at national and EU level. The agri-food sector contributes significantly to Ireland's economy, generating €17.3 billion in gross value added (6% of GNI*) and employing 173,400 people. However, it also accounts for 37.8% of national greenhouse gas emissions, creating a distinctive challenge. In this first event of a new IIEA project entitled Pathways: Ireland's Agricultural Future, Prof. Alan Matthews and Dr. Matthew O’Neill present for discussion the findings of their working paper, ahead of its publication in early 2025. The event was chaired by Dr Karen Keaveney, Head of Subject for Rural Development in the School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin. The IIEA is grateful to the European Climate Foundation for its support in establishing this project. About the Speaker: Prof Alan Matthews is Professor Emeritus of European Agricultural Policy at the University of Dublin Trinity College, Ireland, and a former President of the European Association of Agricultural Economists. His research interests include the behaviour of the Irish farm and food system, the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy, the relationships between trade and food security, and WTO trade norms and disciplines. Dr Matthew O'Neill is Climate Project Lead at the IIEA, in which role he leads the Pathways: Ireland’s Agricultural Future project. His research focuses on the intersection of climate policy and agricultural systems.