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Bernard Harris

Agricultural Inspector in the Climate Change and Bioenergy Policy Division of DAFM

Bernard Harris is an Agricultural Inspector in the Climate Change and Bioenergy Policy Division of DAFM working in the development of sustainable agricultural policy on climate change and bioenergy policy and supports the development of national, EU and International policies, strategies and programmes related to these issues.

He has experience across several environmental policy areas including water and air quality. Bernard has collaborated across departments, agencies, external stakeholders and with EIT Climate KIC on the Deep Demonstration Project for Sustainable Food Systems in Ireland. Bernard holds a degree and masters in Agricultural Science both from University College Dublin.

Development of an Irish Carbon Farming Framework informed by stakeholder engagement

Carbon Farming is an important enabler for the agriculture and land use sectors to meet Ireland’s climate targets (25% emission reduction in agriculture by 2030). As set out in the most recent Climate Action Plan (2024; gov – Climate Action Plan 2024 (www.gov.ie)), the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is committed to the development of an enabling Carbon Farming Framework in 2024 to support the rewarding of farmers, foresters and landowners partaking in emission mitigating and carbon removal activities.

There is a need to establish a national carbon farming framework that compliments the environmental activity within for example the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 (gov – The CAP Strategic Plan 2023 -2027 (www.gov.ie)) and that is cognisant of the trajectory and requirements at EU level, within a parallel process.

A well-functioning National Carbon Farming Framework that provides confidence, verification and certification is essential to generate a potential additional income source for landowners in the actions they take to remove and store carbon in Irelands soils, forests, grasslands, croplands, and hedgerows.

Read the full paper Development of an Irish Carbon Farming Framework informed by stakeholder engagement (PDF)