John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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27. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the recent meeting of the United Nations Security Council which Ireland chaired; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46883/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Taoiseach chaired the UN Security Council Open Debate on Climate and Security on 23 September, the second of three high-level signature events during Ireland’s Presidency of the Council this month.

Climate and Security is a relatively new agenda item on the Security Council. It is a priority for Ireland’s membership, and we are currently providing leadership on the Council as co-chair of the Informal Expert Group (IEG) on Climate and Security together with Niger.

The aim of the Open Debate was to deepen substantive awareness of how climate is relevant to the work of the Security Council, and the impacts of climate change on situations of conflict, and to outline what actions the Council can take within its mandate to anticipate, advance and shape action on climate-related security risks. UN Secretary-General, António Guterres and a civil society activist provided important briefings to the Council on these issues.

The Taoiseach noted that, where climate change is a factor in exacerbating instability and undermining peace and security, the Security Council should use the tools at its disposal to tackle the related issues. He urged the Council to act, and noted Ireland’s intention to convene discussions on a thematic resolution on climate and security.

Council members broadly welcomed Ireland’s efforts to advance this agenda, with most supporting the tabling of a thematic resolution. A small number noted their view that Climate change should be dealt with in broader development-related organs, fora and processes outside of the Security Council.

Following on from the Open Debate, Ireland and Niger intend to convene further discussions with all Council members, with a view to being able to adopt a thematic resolution. This would be an important first for the Security Council and would allow it to better assess and address the effects of climate change in its work.

During our Presidency of the Council throughout the month of September 2021, Ireland chaired meetings across a broad range of issues on the Council agenda. I chaired a debate on Afghanistan on 9 September, during which the Council unanimously approved a Resolution on peacekeeping brought forward by Ireland. Minister of State Byrne also chaired a Briefing on the 25th Anniversary of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty on 27 September.