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Abstract
As part of its continuing commitment to address the causes of climate change, the EU
has agreed reduction targets for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to be achieved by
2020. In the case of Ireland the target is a reduction of 20 percent relative to the 2005
level. Agriculture is a major source of GHG emissions in Ireland, comprising 26.8
percent of total GHG emissions in 2007. Understanding the scale and cost of the
decrease in agricultural production required to achieve this reduction in GHG
emissions is particularly important, as is the comparison of the cost of this approach
with a range of possible other means of achieving emissions reductions in the sector.
This study finds that, even with reduced fertiliser usage and more extensive production
practices, a very substantial decrease in the livestock population is required to meet the
emission reduction targets by 2020. The paper concludes that a solution involving a
mix of measures may ultimately be required