Pathways: Ireland's Agricultural Future | IIEA

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Pathways: Ireland’s Agricultural Future

Through its independent research 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. Its work aims to inform and contribute to constructive discussions on how the Irish agri-food sector can meet climate targets.

All-Island Pathways for Climate-Smart Agriculture

All-Island Pathways for Climate-Smart Agriculture

Building on the IIEA’s Pathways Project, this initiative takes an explicitly all-island perspective on agriculture, climate and the rural bioeconomy, engaging stakeholders from both Ireland and Northern Ireland in a structured dialogue on a just transition. The project seeks to understand what a fair and workable transition looks like in practice for diverse farming communities across the island of Ireland. 

 

The project will explore themes such as all-island bioeconomy opportunities, sustainable agricultural and land-use practices, innovation and knowledge exchange, and barriers to market access for emerging low-carbon products and services.  

 

This project is supported by the Shared Island Civil Society Fund and is in collaboration with the Centre for Advanced Sustainable Energy Research (CASE) at Queen’s University Belfast.

Global Methane Hub

Global Methane Hub

This project looks at the short to medium-term strategies to enhance the uptake of agricultural methane mitigation technologies and practices in Ireland. 

Agriculture, Climate and Rural Futures

Agriculture, Climate and Rural Futures

The IIEA Pathways Project: Ireland’s Agricultural Future explores how Irish agriculture can navigate the transition to net zero while sustaining rural communities. Its first three publications:

 

From Policy to Pasture: Bridging the Gap Between Climate Targets and Irish Agricultural Realities

 

Farm to Finance: The Processor–Farmer Nexus in Ireland’s Agricultural Climate Transition, and

 

Designing Agricultural Climate Policy in Ireland from 2030 to Net Zero

 

These three papers examined Ireland’s climate policy architecture, supply-chain leverage points, and long-term emissions targets for the sector.

 

Building on these initial papers, the project is developing a sustained programme of research and engagement on just transition, bioeconomy opportunities, innovation and knowledge transfer, generating independent, evidence-based insights to inform Irish and all-island agricultural and climate policy.

 

The IIEA is grateful to the European Climate Foundation for its support in facilitating this project from 2024-2025

Publications

Designing Agricultural Climate Policy in Ireland from 2030 to Net Zero
Pathways

Designing Agricultural Climate Policy in Ireland from 2030 to Net Zero

This paper explores how Ireland could reimagine its agricutural climate policy beyond it’s 2030 targets. It examines Ireland’s subsidy approach to emissions reduction and makes the case for intergrated emissions priing through either a levy or a rebate system or a cap-and-trade model (AgETS).

Farm to Finance: The Processor-Farmer Nexus in Ireland’s Agricultural Climate Transition
Pathways

Farm to Finance: The Processor-Farmer Nexus in Ireland’s Agricultural Climate Transition

The second paper in the IIEA’s ‘Pathways’ project focuses on the processor-farmer relationship as a potential leverage point for implementing climate-aligned farming practices, and examines how food processors and manufacturers within Ireland’s agricultural supply chain are driving the sustainability transition at the farm level.

From Policy to Pasture: Bridging the Gap Between Climate Targets and Irish Agricultural Realities
Pathways

From Policy to Pasture: Bridging the Gap Between Climate Targets and Irish Agricultural Realities

Events

Assessing Gender, Diversity, and Power in Food System Organizations: Insights from Global Food 50/50
Pathways

Assessing Gender, Diversity, and Power in Food System Organizations: Insights from Global Food 50/50

This webinar explores how gender inequalities shape global food systems, drawing on Global Food 50/50 evidence to examine power, resources, and decision-making, and to highlight gender-responsive leadership and accountability in food governance.

Denmark’s Green Tripartite Agreement: A New Model for Ireland’s Agriculture and Climate Policy?
Pathways

Denmark’s Green Tripartite Agreement: A New Model for Ireland’s Agriculture and Climate Policy?

Join the IIEA to discuss Denmark’s Green Tripartite Agreement and its potential as a model for Ireland’s agriculture, climate policy, and rural development.

Designing Agricultural Climate Policy in Ireland - From 2030 to Net Zero
Pathways

Designing Agricultural Climate Policy in Ireland - From 2030 to Net Zero

Alan Matthews and a panel of expert speakers discuss the launch of a new IIEA paper exploring long-term strategies for reducing Ireland’s agricultural emissions, balancing 2030 targets with climate neutrality goals for 2040 and 2050.

Farm to Finance: The Processor–Farmer Nexus in Ireland’s Agricultural Climate Transition
Pathways

Farm to Finance: The Processor–Farmer Nexus in Ireland’s Agricultural Climate Transition

Join the IIEA for the launch of its latest Pathways Paper exploring Ireland’s agricultural and climate transition and its impact on the farmer- processor relationship.

Policy to Pasture: Bridging the Gap Between Climate Targets and Irish Agricultural Realities
Pathways

Policy to Pasture: Bridging the Gap Between Climate Targets and Irish Agricultural Realities