Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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532. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the position taken by the State at the recent EU Environment Council on 4 October 2019 on the proposal to increase the European Union’s nationally determined contribution in 2020 to at least 55% by 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42269/19]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I attended the Environment Council on 4 October 2019, where discussions focused on a range of topics, including climate action, the circular economy and the preparation of the Eighth EU Environment Action Programme.

In relation to climate action, the Council adopted conclusions on the EU position for the annual conference of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, COP 25, which will be held in Chile in December 2019, and discussed next steps in relation to the EU's strategic long-term vision for a climate neutral economy.

The Council agreed that, following the recent UN Climate Action Summit, it is now even more important to work hard to make COP 25 a success and deliver concrete results. In this regard, Ireland supports ambitious EU action, including the need to reach agreement on the EU’s long-term ambition for decarbonisation before the end of 2019, and the communication by the EU of an updated Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement in 2020.