Chairman:

I welcome members and viewers watching the proceedings on Oireachtas TV to the 13th public session of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Climate Action. On behalf of the broadcasting and recording services, I request all members, delegates and those in the Visitors Gallery switch off their mobile phones or switch them to flight mode as the interfere with the broadcasting and recording of the proceedings.

On behalf of the joint committee, I extend a warm welcome to Professor Valérie Masson-Delmotte, co-chairperson of Working Group I of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. I also welcome Professor Sonia Seneviratne from ETH Zürich, an expert on climate change extremes and impacts, and Dr. Pierre-Marie Aubert from the International Deep Decarbonisation Research Institute, an expert on the agriculture sector. All three delegates have made considerable efforts to be with us and we really appreciate their presence.

By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by it to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

Members are reminded of the long-standing ruling of the Chair to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official, either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I invite Professor Valérie Masson-Delmotte to make her opening statement.