Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

At the outset, I should state that I accept both the bona fides and the thrust of what the Opposition is looking to do. I accept it has come together on that. The argument is not that there are so many different definitions and so on. I will continue with the process we agreed on Committee Stage, which is to revert back to what we did in the 2015 Bill and not to provide this more specific definition.

I come back to the argument I have made repeatedly. The strength and core of this legislation is in the adherence to Article 2 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC, from 1992 and Article 2 from the Paris Agreement of 2015.Article 2 of the UNFCCC laid out the objective of stabilising concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Article 3 of that convention has to be read as well and it outlines the principles behind all this. It states:

In [our] actions to achieve the objective of the Convention and to implement its provisions, the Parties shall be guided ... by the following:

...[That they must] protect the climate system for the benefit of present and future generations of humankind, on the basis of equity and in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. Accordingly, the developed country Parties should take the lead in combating climate change and the adverse effects thereof.

It continues with further principles which, in effect, provide many of the similar definitions of climate justice we have to adhere to. Our Bill specifically directs us to that objective in the underlying UN treaties and agreements. It is appropriate for us to adhere to those. This is, more than anything, our playing a role in international agreements.

Senator Higgins mentioned the farmers in Malawi, who are on the front line and are being affected worst. We have to address climate mitigation, climate adaptation and resilience. As a State, we can rightly criticise ourselves much of the time but we have done good work in our development aid in supporting climate finance for adaptation and resilience for those farmers in developing countries who are finding the greatest difficulties as climate changes.

Going back to our earlier discussions around Irish agriculture, we have an opportunity to adapt and reward our farming system, which is small compared to other countries. In setting international rules, supporting climate adaptation and resilience in Africa and Ireland, we recognise that we have a common goal but a differentiated responsibility. We have greater responsibility. People ask why Ireland should do something. Trócaire did good work some years ago saying our emissions are equivalent to those of some 400 million people from the poorest countries in the world. That drives us to take real responsibility for our actions and recognise we have a common opportunity to support our small family farming system, as well as those in Africa, other developing countries and small island states.We are doing that within our UN system. It is within the UN that we can deliver this climate justice system and, therefore, the principles and objectives set out in Articles 2 and 3 of the underlying treaty and in the updated Paris Agreement give us the direction on climate justice. It is that to which I would adhere and, therefore, I cannot accept these amendments.