AQW 1519/22-27

Mr John Blair
Alliance Party
South Antrim

Tabled Date: 15/06/2022
Answered On Date: 01/07/2022
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs what consideration he has given to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Special Report on Climate Change and Land which concludes that the expansion of areas agriculture have contributed to increasing net greenhouse gas emissions.

Answer:

This report is at a global level. The Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 and the draft Green Growth Strategy, which my Department has progressed on behalf of the Executive, will act as key drivers to ensure that Northern Ireland accelerates its action to play its part in tackling the global climate challenge.

In contrast to the global situation, the Statistical Review of Northern Ireland Agriculture indicates that the total area of farms has decreased from 1,067,200 hectares in 2001 to 1,029,500 hectares in 2020.

The total area of agricultural crops has decreased from 49,500 hectares to 42,900 hectares, while the total area of grass has increased from 843,700 hectares to 861,800 hectares over the same period.