John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for coming in this afternoon. In particular I welcome Ms Ramadhani in Tanzania. This is a really important issue coming on the back of COP27. There were a lot of positives, but it has to be said there were also some negatives out of COP. I do not want to focus solely on one or the other. I will try and get a balance on both. As has been said, after 30 years of campaigning, lobbying and putting on pressure to get agreement, the loss and damage agreement was described as monumental. It absolutely is but it will only be as important as the transitional committee, the work and participation that goes into it and what comes out of it. Mr. Fitzpatrick has given us two key dates and I wonder if there is more specific detail around what comes after once the committee is up and running. After the second meeting on 15 February when do we get to the implementation stage?

Ms Meriwas touched on the issue of accountability when it comes to funding. That is key, because unfortunately we see time and again that countries commit to fund different projects and the money does not materialise. We see that played out particularly in the Horn of Africa, for example, where the World Food Programme has had to cut programmes right across the board. There are concerns there. I know they put out an appeal last week looking for €121 million just to ensure that a programme for two specific countries would continue until the end of this year. What does accountability look like when you say there needs to be accountability? I agree, but how do we make countries follow through with the money when they make a commitment like that? It is impossible for any organisation on the ground, which is dealing with the very complex and harrowing situation we see unfolding. They have to make difficult decisions to cut rations or decide who to feed. What does accountability look like? We even see it where groups have promised money but it is now going elsewhere. Unfortunately we still have a horrific war in Ukraine. Many people and organisations are saying that unfortunately that is where the focus is now. Providing weapons and other assistance there is understandable in many regards. However, it is at the detriment of countries such as this. How do we ensure accountability comes about?

How do we ensure accountability? While there has been huge progress on loss and damage, there are concerns about the issue of adaptation to climate change and that there needs to be a major effort and focus in respect of building towards adaptation. I seek a view on the global goal on adaptation. Where do we need to go and what needs to be done? I have very strong views on the lobbyists from the fossil fuel industry who were in attendance at COP27, I think there were more than 600 of them which is an increase of 25% on the previous COP, so I would like to get the witnesses' view on that. Could the witnesses also give their view on the failure of the call for a phase-down on all fossil fuels?

Last week, the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Brophy, appeared before the committee and it was a very useful engagement. He has visited the Horn of Africa recently and spoke about the failure of the global food system. There needs to be a focus on that. Members of this committee attended the UN Security Council earlier in the year and sat in on a debate on the issue of food security and it was insightful to hear people at the very top in terms of having the ability to address the issue say the right things but the action on the ground is not there. How do the witnesses think Ireland can progress the agenda around sustainable food production and security? As our time on the UN Security Council is unfortunately coming to an end, do the witnesses think there are any other avenues or anything else we could do on that issue?