Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will address two or three issues, one of which relates to loss and damage. Perhaps Mr. McLoughlin could confirm that loss and damage is not in any sense aid. One of the issues of concern in terms of other aspects of our climate financing is that it is meant to be new and additional. However, Ireland has described doubling the share of official development assistance, ODA, that could be dedicated to climate action.

It is important to clarify that climate finance is different from aid and, specifically, loss and damage funding is different from, additional to and separate from aid.

On that point about loss and damage, the answer was very unsatisfactory. There was the idea of having to negotiate as part of the EU but this is not a trade negotiation. These are negotiations in respect of the UN. We are part of the EU but also of the UN, and Ireland sought a position, for example, on the Security Council by strongly pitching that we understood and were connected with other countries. We are also one of the only EU countries with a direct experience of colonialism, which is very relevant in the context of what has been called climate colonialism or carbon colonialism in the using-up of the fair share and the causing of damage to the developing world.

I would like Mr. McLoughlin to confirm that nothing is preventing Ireland from, as Denmark did, playing a role in the EU position, and I would argue that Denmark taking a strong stance probably helped push the Council to improve its position. There is nothing to prevent Ireland from individually giving recognition through a loss and damage payment while also pushing for a better EU position. Will Ireland support a loss and damage facility? This is not a brainstorming of ideas; it has been called for for a long time. Will we back the 130 countries that have called for that when they call for it again and when that decision point comes, or will we do only what some other countries in the EU are doing, even though some member states such as Denmark are supporting a loss and damage facility? We need to be clear on this as a committee. Ireland performing a fabulous secretariat role in the background is meaningless if we do not have a position.

I welcome the fact there is a focus on human rights in what Mr. McLoughlin said. At previous COP conferences, there was a concerted effort not to refer to human rights in some of the texts, including in areas such as gender. Will Ireland support better human rights language in what comes through? Will it sign the declaration on children, youth and climate action that has been developed by YOUNGO, UNICEF and the Children's Environmental Rights Initiative? Mr. McLoughlin mentioned young people as a focus. This is a specific opportunity to sign something that will be meaningful, although it would have been better if we had signed it in advance of COP. Multiple special rapporteurs from the UN Human Rights Council have also highlighted the importance of this.

Ireland signed up to the target of a 30% cut in methane by 2030 last year. Are we going back to the negotiations and discussions, alongside those with whom we discussed it, with ideas of how Ireland might achieve the 30% cut in methane by 2030 if we have signed up to that?

Beyond oil and gas, a crucial issue that has been emerging relates to the energy charter treaty. Many EU countries are now leaving but, at the same time, there is an aggressive promotion of it, an issue other members may pick up on.