Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 23 January 2024

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence

Ireland's SIDS Strategy, Impact of Climate Change and Update on Development Co-operation: Department of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Michael Gaffey:

I am more than happy to take it now. The Deputy is right. We have learned a lot from the small island developing states about what the extreme impact of climate change can mean. These are countries in different contexts. They are low-lying countries. Many of the Pacific islands are in danger of being obliterated by climate change. We talk about climate change adaptation, which is how they adapt to climate change. It is a nice phrase but at the COP last year a representative of one of the Pacific islands made a very clear point that adaptation for them is a huge loss and is a recognition of that loss because they are often moving their homes and villages back from what was the coast to other areas. They also have to move their livelihoods. The extreme challenges they face are not challenges that we face at this stage.