Press release
Minister Heydon addresses European Carbon Farming Summit
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
Today, the Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, addressed the second European Carbon Farming Summit in Dublin.
The summit is being held from 4-6 March inclusive and is an opportunity for stakeholders from both across the European Union and internationally to discuss the latest developments on carbon farming.
Speaking on the event, the Minister said:
“Farmers and foresters are the custodians of our land. These are the people who can deliver the kind of eco systems services that have the potential to attract investment in the future. For this reason, engagement with them will be a foundation of any policy development in this area. Carbon farming is a potential opportunity for farmers and land managers to derive new income streams for their farms. This event provides an opportunity to hear an international perspective on this evolving area.”
The Minister added:
“I intend to shortly set out the next steps needed to develop a national policy that will facilitate the future development of carbon farming in Ireland. Engaging all stakeholders will be vitally important, especially our farmers and farming community. There are already some examples of Carbon Farming, for example, the Woodland Environmental Fund. This measure provides benefits for landowners, private sector investors and Government. I hope we can develop similar innovative schemes across a broader range of farming practices.”
In conclusion, the Minister acknowledged the important partnership with Climate KIC, Europe’s largest climate innovation initiative. As part of this collaboration, the department and Climate KIC have been closely working with Irish stakeholders to gather their views on barriers and opportunities, but also to map the steps needed to realise Ireland’s ambition of becoming a global leader in sustainable agri-food systems.
The development of Carbon Farming has evolved through the publication of the EU regulation (EU 2024/3012) establishing a Union certification framework for permanent carbon removals, carbon farming and carbon storage in products (CRCF) in December 2024.
Climate KIC is Europe’s leading climate innovation agency and community, helping to create climate-resilient communities and fight the climate breakdown by mobilising systems change in countries, regions, cities, and businesses. Together with partners, across the globe, Climate KIC orchestrates solutions and facilitates learning, helping to bridge an ever-widening gap between climate commitments and current reality.
The CREDIBLE Project: This is an EU funded project, and its main goal is to build momentum and trust for the development of carbon farming in the EU. The project coordinates and moderates a network of projects and stakeholders. The project has delivered a Carbon Farming summit in 2023 in Valencia, Spain and now in 2024 in Dublin.