Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is a pity we do not have longer but I am sure the Minister would be willing to come back to the committee after COP26 and we could discuss everything that happened there. That might be useful.

With regard to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Minister mentioned the 1.5°C figure at the end of his contribution but at the beginning he mentioned 2°C. It would be useful to have confirmation that Ireland will press for ambition that is 1.5°C and be consistent on that in our participation in COP26. We should press for nationally determined contributions that deliver and are consistent with 1.5°C as the cut-off rather than 2°C.

On the financial aspects, the $100 billion was promised initially in Copenhagen and promised again in Paris but it still has not been delivered. It is, of course, important but it is also important to consider how that will be delivered. The Minister mentioned climate financing and sometimes there is a blurring between financing and funding, so it would be very useful to have a sense of the commitment has to funding as well as financing. There is also the question of how we count our contribution. One of the principles is that the contribution should be new and additional but I believe Ireland has argued within the conference negotiations that because every year's budget is different, climate financing should always be considered new and additional. Other countries have argued there is a baseline year against which financing should be considered new and additional. Will Ireland drop that non-constructive position of rebranding the same again as new and additional each year? That is important.

With financing, there is a question of whether with a loan, the entire loan should be counted as climate financing when there is a position that a favourable interest rate should be counted towards the $100 billion financing target. These are the practical aspects that mean we are contributing to the process.

The Minister mentions small island developing countries and other countries feeling the worst impact of climate change. Will Ireland support loss and damage funding and progress on the same, including recognition of loss and damage funding as a standing item as part of the talks?

Will Ireland support or sign in advance of COP26 the declaration on children, youth and climate action? This is really fundamental. We talk much about young people and this is something to do about them and, ideally, to have youth become a standing item under Article 6 in terms of climate action. These are concrete actions that Ireland could take. Will the Minister address them?

A concern raised by civil society is the potential exclusion of civil society from the blue zone and actual negotiations.

We know this has been an issue in the past. Can the Minister tell us Ireland will support civil society's full participation in the COP in Glasgow?