What is a Just Transition?
Just transition is a new framework which brings together climate, energy and environmental justice scholarships (McCauley and Heffron, 2018). It has become an established conceptual framework to transition economies and industries toward a low-carbon and climate resilient future (Blattner, 2020). As of late the concept increasingly features in policy and politics in order to push society towards a low carbon future in a way which takes issues of equity and justice into consideration (Newell and Mulvaney, 2013). The Paris Agreement highlighted that globally a rapid transition is needed in order to avoid disastrous consequences (McCauley and Heffron, 2018). To responded to this climate, energy and environmental crisis, justice scholarships must unite in assessing where injustices will emerge and how they will be dealt with (McCauley and Heffron, 2018). The just transition concept is a forward-looking, action oriented framework that identifies opportunities for public and private investment in economic development that is both sustainable and inclusive (CARO, 2022). The concept helps to connect activities across numerous organisations who will be affected most by the transition framework (CARO, 2022). It is a global agenda for everyone, inclusive of developed and developing countries and economies which aims to address decarbonisation and resilience factors of the transition (CARO, 2022).
It is a global agenda for everyone, inclusive of developed and developing countries and economies which aims to address decarbonisation and resilience factors of the transition (CARO, 2022).
Just Transition in Irish Agriculture
There are 3 areas of Irish agriculture which highlight the necessity of a just transition ti allow for the sustainable development of the Irish agricultural sector. These areas are;
- Irish Agriculture as a huge contributor to GHG emissions
Agriculture is the largest contributor to GHG emissions in Ireland with it accounting for 37.1% of Ireland’s total GHG emissions which is only set to increase in the future. Figure 1 below shows the largest contributors to Ireland's agricultural GHG emissions. Figure 1 highlights that the main sources of Ireland's agricultural GHG emissions. From image 1 below the largest contributors to these emissions were enteric fermentation, agricultural soils and manure management. 2020 seen an increased amount of emissions coming from fertiliser use and liming. The increase in the size of the dairy herd also seen an increase in total national milk production for the tenth consecutive year in a row (Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 2021).
- Income inequality in Irish Agriculture
Irish agriculture has a huge problem in relation to income inequality. The sector is hugely reliant on unskilled workers employed by farm owners. There is a huge difference in income between small farms and large farms as well as income differences based on different types of produce, for example the difference between an income-rich dairy farm and an income-poor sheep farm. From this questions are asked in relation to who gets government funding or who gets the largest amount of government funding, i.e. will it be the higher income dairy farm of the lower income sheep farm? A just transition will ensure all farmers will get an equal amount of assistance in relation to climate change and a just transition in order to address such inequalities (Sweeney and Wilson, 2019, McCabe, 2019).
- Irish Agriculture being severely impacted by climate change if nothing is done to address the issue.
Ireland agriculture will experience both direct and indirect impacts of climate change (Gornall et al., 2010). Direct impacts include change in climate variables like an increase in mean temperature, weather variability and extreme events. Indirect effects include changes in the range and prevalence of agricultural pests and diseases and changes in water availability (Gornall et al., 2010). A just transition will ensure all are included in the planning and development of adaptation and mitigation climate action plans which should improve resilience and reduce vulnerabilities exposed by the impacts of climate change on Irish agriculture for all.
How to Incorporate a Just Transition into Irish Agriculture
A just transition framework has largely been associated with the fossil fuel industry. However, there is a growing need for it to be associated with high emissions industry such as agriculture in order to give farmers, communities and others involved in the industry ownership over climate action and allowing them to get involved in the development process of plans. These actions include just transition measures which can allow decision makers of sustainable development plans to prevent opposition and provide a future for farmers which is sustainable and profitable (McCabe, 2019).
A just transition for agriculture will not entail a phasing out of production and switching to an entirely new product like with changing from fossil fuels to sustainable energy or changing from petrol and diesel cars to electrical cars. Instead, it will involve adopting ecologically sustainable forms of food production which can entail numerous adjustments to farm management some even being quite radical however, for the better (Institute for the European Environmental Policy, 2022).
The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is a very important EU agricultural policy which is a partnership between agriculture and society and between Europe and its farmers. The aim of the CAP is to support farmers and improve agricultural productivity to ensure a stable supply of affordable food, to safeguard EU farmers to make a good living, to help tackle climate change, to ensure a sustainable management of natural resources, to maintain rural areas and landscapes across the EU, and finally to keep rural economies alive through the promotion of jobs in farming and agri-food industries. CAP was established in 1962 and is a common policy for all EU countries (European Comission, 2022a).
CAP was reformed in 2021 to form a new legislation which is set to be put in place at the start of 2023. This reformed policy allows the CAP to be fairer, greener and more performance based as well as ensuring a sustainable future for EU farmers by providing more targeted support to smaller farmers and allowing all EU countries to adapt measures to local conditions (European Comission, 2022c).
In order to see a greener future for farmers the CAP aims to support agriculture in its contribution towards the goals of the European Green Deal (A set of proposals adopted by The European Commission to make the EU’s climate, energy, transport and taxation policies fit in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels (European Comission, 2022b)). There a number of ways the reformed CAP targets this;
- Higher Green Ambitions: CAP will be in line with environmental and climate legislation by making each EU country display a higher ambition on the previous promised environmental and climate actions.
- Contribute to the Green Deal Targets: Developed national strategic plans will need to contribute to Green Deal targets with CAP recommendations being set out as to what contribution is expected from each plan.
- Enhanced Conditionality: Beneficiaries of the CAP will have their payments linked to a stronger set of requirements, for example, on every farm at least 3% of arable land will be dedicated to biodiversity and non-productive elements.
- Eco-Schemes: 25% of the CAP budget will be allocated to eco-schemes which provide a stronger incentive for climate and environmentally friendly farming practices and approaches for example organic farming.
- Rural Development: At least 35% of CAP funding will be allocated to measures which support climate, biodiversity, environment and animal welfare.
- Operational Programmes: Operation programmes in the fruit and vegetables sectors will allocate at least 15% of their expenditure towards the environment.
- Climate and Biodiversity: 40% of the CAP budget will go towards climate.
(European Comission, 2022c)
The CAP will also be seen to be fairer to all farmers through;
- Redistribution of Income Support: At least 10% of EU countries direct payments will have to be given to their redistributive income support tool to address the income needs of small and medium sized farmers
- Active Farmers: A new definition is given of active farmers and their activities undertaken and these farmers may receive certain EU support.
- Social Conditionality: CAP payments will be linked to certain EU labour standards and beneficiaries in order to encourage improved farm work conditions.
- Convergence of Payments: Levels of income supports will converge more within individual EU countries as well as between EU countries.
- Supporting Young Farmers: 3% of the EU countries direct payments budget will be distributed to young farmers through income, investment support or start-up aid.
- Improving the Gender Balance: Gender equality and participation of women in agriculture are part of an objective for CAP strategic plans with EU countries having to assess and address such issues.
(European Comission, 2022c)
Finally, the reformed CAP improves the competitiveness of EU agriculture by strengthening the position of farmers in the supply chain and boost the competitiveness of the agri-food sector through;
- Improved Bargaining Power: New rules will ensure producer cooperation and ensure farmers work together to enable them to create countervailing power in the market.
- Market Orientation: The overall market orientation is maintained from previous reformed CAP which encourages EU farms to align supply with demand worldwide.
- Crisis Reverse: A new financial resource is set up in the reformed CAP worth 450 million euro per year to deal with future crises.
- Support for the Wine Sector: New rules have been agreed to improve support for the wine sector.
(European Comission, 2022c)
The new CAP encourages environmentally friendly and emission cutting farming practices to address Ireland's emissions issues. These actions will also encourage emission reduction so that climate change will not affect Ireland’s agricultural sector to the extent which is projected. The reformed CAP also addresses issues of inequalities such as those mentioned above. As well as that it aims to introduce and encourage more women to contribute and work under the agricultural sector. The reformed CAP contributes to Irelands agricultural sectors just transition which allows us to switch to more sustainable practices in a way that is inclusive and profitable for all.
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