Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

At COP27 I met representatives from developing countries who outlined the existential threats to their societies as a result of climate impacts. The key priorities for Ireland in international climate negotiations are finance for adaptation to climate change and financing to respond to loss and damage associated with climate impacts.

On loss and damage, Ireland was engaged in advance of and throughout COP27. Our delegation took a leadership role within the European Union and in the EU’s negotiations with other countries. The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Ryan, played an incredible role in that. We worked hard to build consensus on an outcome that addresses the needs of the most vulnerable countries and communities. We were pleased the outcome last Sunday included provisions, for the first time ever, for financing mechanisms around loss and damage. These will include, but are not limited to, a new fund. Modalities for a new fund will be agreed over the next year. Critically, the mechanisms will be targeted primarily towards the most vulnerable and there are provisions to broaden the donor base. That was a key part of what Ireland and the EU pushed for from the very start on this. We are really proud to have played a key role in driving through the deal and that particular aspect of it.

On adaptation finance, progress was made on a call by developing countries to establish a dedicated space to develop a roadmap for meeting the COP26 target to double the level of adaptation finance for developing countries. The Department of Foreign Affairs has been taking a leading role on enhancing the quantity and quality of adaptation support. Our climate finance is mainly focused on adaptation. Ireland is a founding member of the international Champions Group on Adaptation Finance. It is important to state that years before it was the main focus of attention with climate finance, Ireland pushed this in particular, and to rebalance that situation between the finance for mitigation and the finance for adaptation. As far as where we need to be is concerned, adaptation is what we must focus on. It is within that context that loss and damage will come in because there are whole aspects in terms of the ability of developing countries to access the adaptation finance. It is the key and what we must work on.

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