THE air certainly is getting hot and heavy as ramped up rhetoric over climate change and the emissions debate spew out from all angles.

Climate change needs to be tackled worldwide and every country, every sector and everyone has a role to play and must play it.

Nobody is - or can - seriously argue against that stark reality, but we also need to lift this debate onto a higher plane to make headway.

In terms of debate, it’s descending into a blame game, largely in this country against farmers and food producers, but what’s missing is a raft of sustainability supports, grants and schemes that everyone can readily plug into.

I’ve lost track of the amount of images of a burning earth with some hapless cow superimposed that supposedly makes up the bulk of this multi-pronged problem. Is that image really the height – or the depth – of our best collective thinking on this key challenge facing the planet?

Challenge

Irish agricultural operates to world class standards - take a good look at other countries - what and how they are producing as food is alarming, coming at an enormous environmental cost with wholesale deforestation the first, but most definitely not the last, victim.

Irish agriculture is reeling from the 25% emissions cuts announced but the Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue was clear that there will be not imposed cuts on the national herd. The Irish agricultural sector is an educated, informed and responsive sector that can, and no doubt will, play a big role as we collectively seek solutions now and into the future.

Energy, fuel and food costs are absolutely soaring. Most individuals are certainly becoming more aware of how they use electricity at home or work, being careful with fuel, and keeping a tighter rein on that all-important grocery bill.

It’s up to us all to carry the can and change the image.