How the Paris Agreement Benefits Irish Farmers: Avoiding Over 50 Hot Days

Introduction

A new global climate analysis has made one thing clear: international action still makes a difference. If countries actually stick to their Paris Agreement promises, the global deal struck in 2015 where almost every nation agreed to limit warming to “well below 2 °C” and aim for 1.5 °C, the world could avoid around 57 extreme-heat days every year.

Without it, we could be facing double that number, more than a hundred scorchers annually by the end of the century. At first, that might sound far away or a bit abstract. But for farmers here in Ireland, those figures are anything but. The difference between two and four degrees of warming isn’t academic, it’s the difference between being able to adapt and being pushed to breaking point.

Every degree matters. Every hot day avoided buys a little more breathing room for the land, the animals, and the people who depend on them.

What 57 Hot Days Actually Means on a Farm

Fewer hot days might sound like good news for the holidaymakers, but for those working the land, it’s about survival, not sunshine.

When temperatures tip past 25 °C, livestock begin to struggle. Cows eat less, drink more, and start to lose condition. Milk yields can fall by as much as 10–15% during a heatwave. Calves can become restless, and dairy herds get harder to manage. Avoiding even a few weeks of that heat means steadier performance and less stress across the yard.

Then there’s the grass. Irish grass is made for mild, damp weather, not baking heat. Once temperatures climb, growth stalls, soil dries out, and recovery slows. Every “extra” hot day is one where the field gives back less. Avoiding 57 of those each year isn’t a statistic, it’s a season’s difference in feed and forage.

And let’s not forget the people behind it all. Silage cutting, reseeding, or spraying in sweltering conditions just isn’t feasible. When you can’t safely work outdoors, even the most organised farm calendar starts to unravel. A few cooler days here and there mean more flexibility and fewer missed opportunities.

Ireland’s Climate Crossroads

Agriculture now accounts for about 38% of Ireland’s total greenhouse gas emissions, mostly from methane produced by livestock and nitrous oxide from soils. While there’s been some progress, agricultural emissions dropped by nearly 5% in 2023,  farming still carries the biggest share of the national climate load.

Ireland has committed to cutting agricultural emissions by 25% by 2030, compared to 2018 levels. That’s a steep climb, and it can’t be achieved through policy statements alone. It means big changes in how we manage grasslands, fertiliser, slurry, and breeding. It also means rethinking how we use water, energy, and even shade,  things Irish farmers have never had to plan for in the past.

Adapting Before It’s Too Late
 

Even if global efforts succeed, a warmer, less predictable climate is already locked in. Farmers who start adapting now will fare far better than those who wait. Here are some proven steps making a real difference on Irish farms:

• Shade and water access: Simple structures like field shelters, hedges, or tree lines can reduce heat stress significantly for livestock.
• Forage resilience: Multi-species swards and deeper-rooted grasses can maintain growth when surface soils dry out.
• Water management: Rainwater harvesting and efficient trough systems can help during dry spells.
• Timing and flexibility: Planning key operations outside predicted heat windows can prevent yield losses.
• Soil and biodiversity co-benefits: Adding trees, hedges, and buffer zones not only stores carbon but also protects against heat and erosion.

These steps don’t require high-tech solutions or major investment, they’re practical, low-cost measures that protect the farm against a changing climate.

What the Science Tells Us
 

Even with every Paris pledge delivered, the world is still on course for around 2.6 °C of warming, well above the “safe” 1.5 °C goal. But that difference between 2.6 °C and 4 °C is huge. It’s the gap between a difficult future and an unmanageable one.

In Ireland, that margin translates to fewer extreme rainfall events, less risk of drought stress on livestock, and more stable growing seasons. It’s also a chance to rethink farm infrastructure before heat, disease, and water scarcity become routine.

Climate change is also reshaping winters. Extreme cold events are becoming less common, which may slightly reduce frost-related losses, but it also means wetter soils and shorter windows for heavy field work. The challenge is to balance both extremes: too much water in winter, too little in summer.

The Irish Opportunity

Ireland’s strength lies in its grass-based systems. With a mild climate, long growing season, and solid infrastructure, we’re better placed than most to adapt.

Still, not every farmer can afford big investments, and that’s the reality. Rising costs leave little room for new infrastructure or technology. But resilience doesn’t always mean spending big, it often means managing smarter. Simple steps like maintaining drains, sowing clover or multi-species swards, or fencing off wetter ground for regeneration can build resilience at little cost.

For those in a position to invest, TAMS and Solar Capital grants can fund up to 60% of upgrades like solar panels, water systems, and slurry storage. Even small, affordable actions today, adding shelterbelts or improving soil aeration, help future-proof farms for what’s coming.

Resilience isn’t about money alone; it’s about planning ahead and working with what’s already on the ground.

Conclusion

The Paris Agreement won’t fix the weather overnight, but it does prove that global action can still shift the odds in our favour. Avoiding 57 extra hot days a year might sound like a number from a report, but on Irish farms, it means calmer cows, steadier grass growth, and fewer long nights wondering how to keep everything going in relentless heat.

Irish farming has always been about resilience, taking what the weather throws at us and finding a way through. The next step isn’t about big leaps; it’s about smart, steady changes that protect both the land and the livelihoods built on it. Because while politicians argue over policy and targets, it’s farmers who’ll feel the real impact, in every field, every shed, and every season.

*By Anne Hayden MSc., Founder, The Informed Farmer Consultancy.