Thread by @climpeter

The new @IPCC_CH #SRCCL report is available at ipcc.ch/srccl-report-d… . The SPM is a very interesting read and has several interesting points that jump out at me both generally and from an Ireland perspective. (1/n)

Firstly climate and land degradation are entwined risks. If we want to reduce risk to land we need to get serious about addressing climate change. But also, agriculture globally is c.25% contributor (nationally its higher). Proverbially making a rod for our own backs (2/n)

Secondly, there are no two ways around it that our patterns of consumption matter. Higher consumption places greater stress on the system making it less robust. What does that mean in practical terms? (3/n)

i) we need to think carefully about our diets (me included). The evidence is overwhelming that meat rich diets place greater stress on land and have a higher footprint. ii) we need to actively promote less intensive agricultural production. Maybe the new CAP will help here (4/n)

iii) Food waste presently stands at about 25%. Yet hundreds of millions globally are malnourished. And very many nationally. We do need a serious assessment of how we can do better. (5/n)

Coming down to Ireland specific. And this isn't going to endear me to the IFA. We need to get serious about our growing intensive cattle based monoculture. That doesn't mean getting rid of all cattle. But we need to take a number of actions. (6/n)

Many of these would make sense irrespective of climate change. We are one disease outbreak or shift in consumer habits from decimating rural Ireland economy. How quickly we forget the dangers of national monoculuture systems (the great potato famine anyone?). (7/n)

1. Reduce the national herd size
2. Diversify agricultural production so we produce locally more of the food we nationally need to consume. It is a nonsense we import Brocolli from Spain when we can grow it here for e.g.
3. Increase herd efficiency for the remaining herd (8/n)

There are co-benefits of action well laid out in the report which highlight the benefits for sustainable development goal attainment and to biodiversity and quality of life. (9/n)

But perhaps the single biggest national key finding eye opener to me is the findings around peat bogs. If we want to make a real difference immediately we should cease forthwith extraction (at all levels including the tithe holdings) (10/n)

We should also act to rewet and restore wherever we can the bogs we have degraded. Bogs can hold carbon for centuries to millenia and have huge co-benefits e.g. holding rainfall and releasing slowly reducing both flood and drought risks. (11/n)

Lastly, an obscure point, but one with huge potential relevance is that national land use plans are key to effectively managing the national land in a changing climate. (12/n)

I would urge the government to consider adopting a national land use plan that ensures the most appropriate use of land for each location. Even a country the size of Ireland does not have a one-size fits all solution. (13/n)

We need to plan our national land use response if it is to be effective. This solution absolutely should be co-developed with the custodians of the land but my reading of the SPM is it requires enabling via an effective national land use plan. (/fin ... at least for now)