Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am conscious of the fact the G20 summit has taken place following the October European Council meeting and in advance of the COP26 climate conference, which is under way in Glasgow. It is fair to say the outcome of the G20 meeting was a disappointment as far as climate change is concerned. These economies account for 80% of global emissions. While they agreed to deploy meaningful and effective action to limit global warming, they failed to agree on clear pathways as to how to proceed and few concrete commitments were given. The UN Secretary General said his hopes for this G20 summit were unfulfilled.

The G20 countries agreed to limit global temperature increases to 1.5°C by taking action this decade but China and Russia, for example, do not want to reach net zero emissions until 2060. In addition, it is clear that countries such as Australia, China, India and Russia are still very reluctant to cease coal production. In contrast, the EU arrived at COP26 with very clear aims following the European Council meeting on 22 October. The Council called for an ambitious global response to climate change. It stated the 1.5°C global warming limit must be reached. It reiterated the need for effective national targets and policies. It outlined again the need to reach zero emissions by 2050. It called for the collective climate finance goal of $100 million per year up to 2025. These are goals to which we should all subscribe. I am proud to be part of an EU that is to the forefront in the global endeavours to tackle climate change.

I welcome the commitments given by the Taoiseach in his address to the COP26 summit yesterday. He agreed to more than double climate finance to poor countries by 2025 to tackle climate change as part of our overseas development aid programme. He also said Ireland will sign up to the global pledge to cut methane gas emissions by 30% by 2030 and to the pledge to protect global forests and prevent deforestation.

I regret that China only engaged with the conference by sending a written statement. China is a major producer of greenhouse gas emissions and it did not make any new commitments to address climate change. For example, no commitments were given to cap energy consumption or to reduce China's use of coal earlier than 2026. I also regret that the Russian President did not turn up in person at the conference. Let us hope for all our sakes that action and implementation will follow the deliberations of the COP26 conference.

I understand our climate action plan will be published tomorrow. No doubt it will be criticised by the various sectors and interest groups but we have no choice but to implement it. The time for further consultation is over and we must now firmly commit to implementing this plan without delay.

As regards migration, the European Council stated it will not accept any attempt by third countries to instrumentalise migrants for political purposes. This is a clear reference to the actions of Belarus dictator Alexander Lukashenko. Migrants from Syria, Iran, Iraq and Yemen are being pushed into EU states through Belarus. This, of course, is in response to the EU sanctions imposed on Belarus following the hijacking of a Ryanair plane. These actions by Belarus are reprehensible and the EU is right to call out this hybrid threat and take all appropriate measures to deal with it. Desperate refugees are being weaponised. As a result, men, women and children are dying at these borders.

The EU Council meeting also considered the rise in energy prices, including wholesale gas prices, which is now having a serious impact on households and SMEs through increased energy bills. Rising inflation and increases in the cost of living are now real issues in all member states, including Ireland.

As usual, at EU Council meetings, it was very difficult to get agreement from all member states on how to tackle this problem. Arguments about what constitutes renewable energy, how gas should be classified and even the role of nuclear power, were the order of the day.

Some states wanted the EU to be more proactive and to act collectively through the common purchase of gas and the creation of a strategic gas reserve. They also wanted to prohibit speculation in the carbon market, which drives prices up. However, a toolbox, no less, is in place which member states can consult.

The Irish approach to this issue was the correct one for various reasons. This is to use the tax and social welfare systems to counter rising costs of living and, of course, significant measures in this context were announced in budget 2022 with particular reference to changes in the eligibility criteria for the fuel allowance.

I note that the Taoiseach took a strong line at the summit as regards Poland. This was the subject of much debate in this House during the discussion on pre-EU Council statements. Issues such as the independence of the judiciary and the challenge to the supremacy of EU law were considered during that debate. I see that the European Court of Justice has since agreed to a proposal from the European Commission to fine Poland €1 million a day until it suspends a supreme court chamber for disciplining judges. I also note what the Taoiseach said in his contribution on the conditionality of the funds going to Poland and to other member states, particularly in the context of Covid-19 recovery. We await the court judgement on that. The Taoiseach is also reported to have stated that Poland has gone too far. According to all reports Ireland took the lead on this issue. This is as it should be and I wholeheartedly welcome this stance.

I also mention the recent decision by the Israeli Defence Minister to declare six Palestinian civil society groups as terrorist organisations. These well-established human rights NGOs are working in the occupied Palestinian territory. Some of these organisations receive support from Irish Aid and from the EU. This decision should be condemned and reversed.

Finally, I also note that a group of European foreign ministers, including our own Minister, have jointly called on Israel to reverse its plans to expand the settlements in the West Bank. This is a positive development and is also to be welcomed. Hopefully, these European foreign ministers can persuade the remainder of the EU foreign ministers to adopt a similar approach because the EU has a major role play in the Palestinian- Israeli conflict.

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