Ireland‘s ‘no additional warming’ approach to agricultural methane risks undermining global climate goals, researchers at University College Cork (UCC) have said in a new report.
The study, co-authored by researchers at the UCC Sustainability Institute and published in Environmental Research Letters, suggests that if all countries adopted Ireland’s approach to agricultural methane emissions, limiting global warming to 1.5°C would become ‘impossible’, and even a 2°C target would be far more difficult to achieve.
‘Fundamentally misinterprets’
The ‘no additional warming’ approach, which is also referred to as ‘temperature neutrality’, focuses on stabilising methane emissions at close to current levels, rather than achieving substantial reductions. As the researchers note, such a strategy ‘fundamentally misinterprets’ the Paris Agreement’s goals, as well as shifting climate responsibility from high-emitting, livestock-oriented countries.
“The ‘no additional warming’ approach is being used to enable countries such as Ireland and New Zealand – with very high per capita agricultural methane emissions – to continue with business-as-usual or make only slight reductions, while claiming climate action,” commented Dr Róisín Moriarty, UCC Sustainability Institute.
Professor Hannah Daly of UCC described this as a form of “climate burden-shifting,” whereby historically high emitters are allowed to sustain current practices while other countries must take on more ambitious reductions.
The study was conducted by scientists from the UCC Sustainability Institute, University of Galway, and the University of Melbourne.
‘Undermine efforts’
Dr. David Styles of the University of Galway added that the approach “grossly underestimates” the scale of methane mitigation require to keep the planet on track to meet climate goals.
“If adopted globally, this approach would undermine efforts to limit global warming and reduce the effectiveness of carbon removals,” he said.
The authors conclude that national climate strategies on methane need to move beyond stabilisation and pursue substantial reductions. ‘to ensure fair, effective contributions to global climate goals’. Read more here.
