Professor Kevin Anderson:

Ireland is a relatively small country with a population of approximately 6.5 million. People in some of the smaller countries I work with, such as Norway, Sweden and even Scotland often ask how they matter given that they are just a small part of the picture when compared with other parts. Nevertheless, it is interesting that these small countries can often punch well above their weight. What we require most importantly are examples at home. If Ireland can put in place a carbon budget that is aligned with the Paris Agreement, has a very clear transparent framing of how it comes to the conclusions it has reached on its carbon budget and demonstrates that leadership at home, it becomes a very important international example of what we should be doing. It also needs to talk vociferously and honestly about the difficulties, benefits, challenges, successes and so forth.

Thankfully Ireland is still part of the EU; that is a separate issue. Ireland has scope to push hard within the EU which obviously has even greater international clout. The EU is considering carbon budget framing. Based on my discussions with President von der Leyen's adviser on this, I believe it will still be incredibly weak. We do not have time for more weak policies and delusion. We need carbon budgets that are in line with the science of 1.5°C to 2°C. If Ireland is doing that at home, it should be able to push that much harder in the EU. Some of the Swedish MEPs are also keen to do that. Ireland should find those comrade voices to come together on these issues.

We also need to consider things like foreign policy. I do not know Ireland's situation. I know more about the UK, whose foreign policy is littered with examples of doing things completely counter to the issues of climate change. For example, it is funding Mozambique in liquid natural gas, LNG, terminals and so forth. I do not know what that is like in Ireland, but its foreign policy needs to have climate change woven throughout it. If it does not meet the broad framing of climate change aligned with the Paris Agreement, it needs to rethink its foreign policy. Ireland should try to demonstrate leadership at home and find other smaller nations that it can come together with to try to increase the power of its voice as a relatively small nation.