Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 431: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will report on the early December meeting in Poznan, Poland on climate change issues; the progress which was made at the meeting; the position and contribution made by Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46611/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The 14th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change took place in Poznan from 1-12 December. The meeting was an important stocktaking exercise at the mid-way point between last year's agreement on the Bali Road Map and the new global climate change agreement that will be reached next year in Copenhagen. A number of important decisions were made at the meeting, including on accelerating the negotiations in 2009. This will be facilitated by the work programmes agreed that provide an ambitious and clearly defined timetable for the different stages of the negotiations next year, including the production of a negotiating text by June 2009 for the future global climate agreement. Agreement on the operational of the Adaptation Fund was also reached in Poznan, so that funding will be available for climate change adaptation projects in developing countries from 2009. I delivered a national statement in the Plenary Session, focusing on adaptation of developing countries to the inevitable effects of climate change, and I intervened in the Ministerial Roundtable on a shared vision on long-term cooperative action. I also participated in the daily meetings of the EU Ministers to coordinate the position of the Community's negotiators. Members of my delegation participated in the negotiations as active and important players in the broader European Union delegation, including negotiating and presenting on behalf of the EU.