| Research into Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from Irish agriculture has focused on two main themes (i) projecting future emission levels and (ii) devising abatement strategies at the farm level such as changes in animal diet, better waste management and or changes in farm management practices. These abatement strategies will have costs associated with them some of which, such as capital investment or reducing livestock numbers, may be substantial. However economic theory indicates that market based solutions such as tradable emissions permits (TEP’s) are the least cost means of achieving desired reductions in emissions. To date within Europe a regulatory approach has been favoured when trying to curtail emissions from agriculture, the Nitrates Directive... |
