Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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55. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the progress to date regarding the funding of €1.2 million allocated to the UNCCD in 2018 to help develop a detailed implementation and reporting plan for the Great Green Wall initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32388/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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In 2018, Ireland, acting through my Department, provided a contribution to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in support of the Great Green Wall (GGW) Initiative. The project costing €1,200,000 was built around two key pillars.- Pillar 1: “State of the Great Green Wall” Landmark Report (€200,000)

- Pillar 2: Development of a portfolio of transformative projects along the Great Green Wall for future donor funding (€1,000,000)

The “State of the Great Green Wall” Landmark Report was formally launched at a High-Level Ministerial virtual conference held on 7 September 2020. UNCCD has advised that the Landmark Report has led to significant positive developments for the GGW. These changes can, at least in part, be attributed to the recommendations contained in the Landmark Report, supported by Ireland. The most significant development and a culminating milestone was the One Planet Summit, held on 11 January 2021, which saw the launch of a GGW Accelerator. The Accelerator will help all actors for the GGW Initiative to better coordinate, monitor and measure the impact of their actions and speed up implementation towards achieving the 2030 ambition.

As a result of delays in finalising the Landmark report (Pillar 1), the launch of Pillar 2 has also been delayed compared to the envisaged timeframe. The Department is engaging with UNCCD to formalise a no-cost extension to utilise Pillar 2 of the grant.