Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak about COP27. It is great that we are all here today dedicating our time to do so. The climate crisis is the biggest threat facing us and it is not a future threat. It is a current threat. It is here and now and deserves to be treated as the most pressing issue we face as a human race. Unfortunately, however, that is not always the case, globally or here at home.

The two main priorities for this year’s Conference of the Parties were scaling up climate finance for climate resilience and addressing climate-induced loss and damage. I was particularly pleased that climate-related loss and damage took centre stage because those who have contributed least to the creation of the climate emergency are often those who are suffering the most. They are suffering through the extreme adverse effects of the climate crisis including rising temperatures and rising sea levels. It is a threat to their livelihoods and, indeed, their very lives.

Developing countries are already offering grim modelling of what is to come in other parts of the world. That is grossly unfair and unjust. The agreement that was reached at COP27 when it comes to loss and damage is historic and really progressive. I want to praise the Minister and the Irish delegation for the central role they played in getting the agreement over the line. In particular, I pay tribute to the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, who has been really proactive in this space.

We all accept that it does not go as far or as fast as we and our EU partners would have liked. Having a deal to build on is better than no deal at all, however. This new agreement will hopefully have life-changing results for the millions of people, mostly in the developing world, whose land, water sources and livelihoods are being eroded every day because of the impacts of climate change. We have to do everything we can to help developing countries that are especially vulnerable. Inherent in this deal is an admission that richer nations have contributed most to the climate emergency through our emissions and bad practice.

I also really welcome the commitment to keeping 1.5°C alive, which is a commitment to ensuring that global warming stays within a 1.5°C increase above pre-industrial levels. Without climate mitigation efforts, everything else truly is in vain. If we can remain focused on delivering on our commitments around emissions and warming then it follows that we will have less loss and less damage that will need to be paid out. Mitigation must remain the number one priority.

I have been lucky enough to have had many brilliant schoolchildren and groups into Leinster House for tours this year, such as Holy Family Community School, Griffeen Community College and Coláiste Bríde. It is always top of their minds. As I said previously in this House, the time of climate change is behind us. We are now very much living through a climate emergency. We have the plan and record investment and we have set the targets. Not delivering on those targets or meeting those agreements is simply not an option. It starts at home in all of our everyday practices but the prime example must be set by the State; it simply has to be. We owe it to our younger generations and all those who have been so vocal on this to deliver on our commitments.

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