New scientific report: intensive land use is driving climate breakdown

Stop Climate Chaos Coalition
Under embargo until 9.30am, Thursday 8th August

New scientific report: intensive land use is driving climate breakdown
Urgent transformation in how we use land is needed to combat climate breakdown
Climate coalition calls for new land use plan to reduce emissions, protect biodiversity, and adapt to

climate impacts

The Stop Climate Chaos coalition has today [Thursday 8th August] called on the Government to bring
forth a new land use plan that reduces emissions, protects biodiversity, and helps with adaptation to
climate change. The call follows the publication earlier today of the report on climate change and land
from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This latest comprehensive assessment
draws on contributions from over a hundred leading scientists from 52 countries across the world to
explore how use of land contributes to climate breakdown and how climate breakdown affects land.
The report warns that intensive human activity has turned land into a major source of carbon pollution. It
delivers unequivocal evidence that radical change is now needed in how we use land for food production
and energy, and that sustainable land use has huge potential for combating climate breakdown.

Catherine Devitt, Head of Policy with Stop Climate Chaos Coalition commented,
“The report demonstrates how deforestation and drained peatlands, and the continued and
intensive degradation of soil on a global scale means that how we use land is now a major source
of emissions. We urgently need to preserve and enhance our natural ecosystems if we are to
combat climate change.”

The IPCC’s latest assessment shows that up to a third of all greenhouse gas emissions are now estimated
to come from land use. The report emphasises that intensive farming and the escalating use of land for
energy is increasing emissions of carbon dioxide, and that rising temperatures and changing weather
patterns are already undermining availability and access to food, as well as agricultural stability and
productivity.

Ms. Devitt added,

“The report is very clear in its conclusions that if we are to avert catastrophic climate change, we
must transform how we produce food, and how we use and manage land. We need to produce
food in a way that doesn’t harm nature. We must diversify our diets and eliminate food waste, and
we must ramp up climate action across all sectors to ensure future food security.”

“The IPCC’s conclusions have considerable implications for how we use land here in Ireland.
Irish farmers are not immune from climate breakdown. As we’ve seen in recent episodes of
severe flooding and prolonged drought, the degradation of land and climate change are already
impacting negatively on Irish agriculture.”

“The potential for flooding and drought, disruption to our food system, and decreased animal and
crop productivity will increase if we continue to use land intensively and if we continue to emit
greenhouse gas emissions at the current rate.”

A review of the Government’s recent climate action plan, carried out by Stop Climate Chaos and the
Environmental Pillar found that although intensive agriculture, forestry, and peatland drainage and
extraction are a major source of Ireland’s emissions, there is little in the Plan to adequately address land
use as a contributor to climate change. This is despite recommendations made earlier this year from the
special Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action for a national land use review of afforestation, forestry
and peatlands, to align the sector with the Paris Agreement. As part of their recommendations, the
Committee also called on the Government to respond to the findings of today’s IPCC special report.

Jennifer Higgins, Policy and Advocacy Advisor at Christian Aid Ireland,
“The recent Climate Action Plan failed to deliver any detailed, comprehensive plan for a more
sustainable approach to land use and management in Ireland. This is despite the vital role that
Ireland’s unique habitats, such as our peatlands, can play in combating climate breakdown and
helping us adapt to climate impacts, such as flooding.”

“A rapid reduction in emissions from the land use sector, and enhancing Ireland’s natural
ecosystems over the next decade will be crucial if Ireland is to comply with its commitments
under the Paris Agreement.”

“Given that the IPCC are calling for a transformation in how we use and manage land, it’s clear
that Ireland needs a new vision for land use.”

Today’s report comes just ten months after the last IPCC publication which concluded that limiting global
warming to 1.5oC would require rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society.

Ends
For more information or to arrange interviews, contact Ms. Catherine Devitt, Head of Policy, Stop
Climate Chaos Coalition: catherine@stopclimatechaos.ie, Phone: 0860439696

Notes
1. The IPCC report and related documents are here: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/srccl/
2. A summary of the Coalition’s recent assessment of the Climate Action Plan can be found here,
and the full report is available here.
3. Stop Climate Chaos is the civil society coalition campaigning for Ireland to do its fair share to
tackle climate change. The Coalition’s 33 members include overseas aid and development,
environmental, youth and faith-based organisations.