Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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595. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason that Ireland's climate finance contributions fell from €93.6 million provided in 2019 to €88.3 million in 2020; if Ireland will commit to meeting the approximately €475 million a year required to meet Ireland's fair share, based on academic estimates and research from civil society in budget 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29177/22]

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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International climate action, including climate finance, is a key priority for the Irish Government.

Ireland’s Annual Climate Finance Reports, available on the Irish Aid website, illustrate the Government’s continued support to countries that are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

To calculate Ireland’s contribution to international climate finance, the Irish Government strictly applies reporting guidance agreed at international and EU level. The methodology used to calculate climate finance changed in 2021, following the coming into force of the EU Regulation on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action This new methodology was applied to reporting on climate expenditure in 2020, compiled during 2021, and which is detailed in the 2020 Climate Finance Report.

Ireland’s climate finance in 2019 was €93.6 million. According to the previous methodology, Ireland’s total climate finance would be €91.8 million in 2020, representing a 2% decrease in climate finance from 2019. In applying the new methodology, Ireland’s climate finance is approximately €88.3 million. 2020 was also an exceptional year due to the impact of COVID-19 on programming and the delivery of planned activities.

The Government is committed to significantly increasing its climate finance, in response to the urgent needs of many developing countries. The Programme for Government tasked my Department with devising a strategy to scale up Ireland’s climate finance contributions. At COP26 in 2021, the Taoiseach announced that Ireland will more than double its international climate finance, reaching at least €225 million per year by 2025. Work on the strategy outlining how this target will be met is nearing completion.