The Pathways: Ireland’s Agricultural Future project examines the critical challenges and new opportunities facing Ireland's agri-food sector as it navigates ambitious climate change targets at both national and international level.

The Pathways project aims to provide evidence-based analysis that will inform the public debate in Ireland surrounding climate change and its implications for agriculture and trade. It does so through an integrated programme of research, events and stakeholder outreach, serving as a forum for discussion, debate and new ideas around this critically important policy area.

The economic significance of Ireland’s agricultural sector remains undisputed, as a significant employer and contributor to Ireland’s GDP. But it is also acknowledged that it remains a substantial contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland. Ireland’s agri-food trade is also significant – as the country’s oldest and largest indigenous exporting sector - and promoting the growth of our agricultural trade with new markets has been a significant element of Irish foreign policy in recent years.

This, however, creates a tension - how to allow these sectors to grow and prosper, while also reconciling this prosperity with Ireland’s international commitments with respect to climate change?

This project was conceived to examine these issues facing Irish agriculture and to provide an inclusive forum for stakeholders and the public to discuss and input their views into the debate; and, secondly, a source of independent and unbiased research, informed by discussion among diverse partners and in turn feeding into the national and European debate.

The IIEA is grateful for the support of the European Climate Foundation (ECF) for its support in establishing this project.