Mr. Frank Maughan:

I will do my best and might invite colleagues to contribute as well. There was a lot to respond to in the Senator's contribution.

Starting with climate finance, I have already answered a question from another committee member about the Green Climate Fund by referring to our increased contributions and the level of increase we want. As I mentioned, the fund is only one of a number of channels through which we contribute climate finance. There are other international funds, some under the UNFCCC, including the Adaptation Fund, for example, to which we also contribute annually, in most recent years €300,000 per annum. Senator Higgins mentioned the Least Developed Countries Fund, to which we contribute quite a sizeable amount through Irish Aid. I know the Senator asked us not to focus on Irish Aid, but that is worth pointing out. The question of the additionality is that there are very robust rules agreed at OECD level, as I understand it, that assess the way in which countries spend their aid contributions to ensure that that money is directed specifically into climate change activities and can be identified as such. My colleagues from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade may wish to contribute on that in a little more detail.

On the loss and damage question, again, I suggest that this is more of a developing agenda at the UN level. The Warsaw mechanism to which I referred in my opening statement was put in place, from memory, only in 2013. It has been tasked very much with trying to put some shape on the analysis of what countries will face in terms of loss and damage over the coming years and decades as a result of climate impacts. The question of funding is not necessarily a closed one or one to which we object. The EU has a very open and proactive position to get the Warsaw mechanism operational. I will ask a colleague to provide a little more detail on this point specifically if possible.