Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 50: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will ensure that the European Union will offer adequate financial support to countries which have to adhere to climate change targets and may have difficulty in doing so. [21827/09]

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and its Kyoto Protocol, binding targets have been set for the developed countries, but not for developing countries. The targets relate to reductions in the amount of greenhouse gases being emitted by developed countries. They are referred to as mitigation targets. No mitigation targets have been set for developing countries, in recognition of their minimal contribution to past greenhouse gas emissions and of the current and future needs of their economies.

The EU has demonstrated global leadership on the issue of emissions reduction and mitigation. It has translated the collective EU target set in Kyoto in 1997 into individual national targets for the Member States. It is agreed that any shortfall in meeting these individual targets will be met by Member States through the purchase of carbon credits under the EU carbon emissions trading scheme. These credits are purchased primarily through public finances, and are used to fund emission reduction activities in developing countries.

The EU has also taken a strong lead role in the preparations for the major international conference to be held in Copenhagen in December to agree a successor to the Kyoto Protocol. Ireland is participating actively in the development of the EU's position on the complex range of issues which need to be addressed, taking into account the needs of the environment, and of development. We consider it crucial that a global, comprehensive and ambitious climate change agreement is reached at Copenhagen.

The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has primary responsibility in this area. In order to ensure a consistent and coherent Irish position, the Department of Foreign Affairs has worked closely with his Department and with the Department of Finance in relation to climate change targets. We are all in agreement that the outcome of the Copenhagen Conference should support existing efforts to assist developing countries in dealing with the devastating effects of climate change.

The Spring European Council on 19 and 20 March 2009 confirmed clearly that the European Union will take on its fair share in helping finance the far-reaching measures which developing countries will have to take in order to adapt to the effects of climate change. The detailed implications for the EU will be examined further by the June European Council. The Government strongly supports the position that the EU must contribute its fair share in financing climate change actions in developing countries under any future global climate change agreement.