Mr. Michael Gaffey:

In the past few years, everybody has woken up to the fact that Ireland is not immune at all. Those strong winds coming over the Atlantic Ocean at the weekend and heading for us at the moment are just another example of the frequency of this. We have learned a lot about the urgency involved. No country can resolve climate change by itself. Absolute international action is essential. This was recognised at the COP in Dubai, maybe not as much as one might want but more than looked like would be the case. On the mitigation side, the agreement to start the transition away from fossil fuels is absolutely vital. If that agreement had not been reached, then really everyone would have said that the COP was a failure. That is one side of it.

In learning to build up resilience and adapt to climate change, we have learned from those countries what we need to do in our own policies locally and nationally. The key is concerted international action. It is also key to ensure that these conferences and international multilateral processes do not become talking shops but are increasingly the occasions for decisions.

The next COP will be in Baku in Azerbaijan. It is being seen very much as an opportunity to build new commitments on financing. The developed countries gave a commitment way back in 2009 to give €100 billion in international climate financing. The international community has only just about managed to reach that now. Ireland's role in committing to doubling our climate finance and that we will meet that target next year is very important also. Ireland's continued engagement internationally and bilaterally with countries that are more effective than ourselves and working with them in a climate justice manner, and also in tackling the full range of climate challenges, is not just in order to help others, it is also vital for ourselves and for our own future.