Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I attended COP 28 for the Agricultural and Land focused days of the 9th and 10th December, my purpose was to engage on important topics in relation to sustainable food systems and innovation in agriculture, and their relevance for climate action.

I welcome the link made by the UAE Presidency between climate policy and food as a key priority for this year’s COP. This is the first time this has been on the agenda. Food systems are a key component of climate action and can be a catalyst for achieving the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals and the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.

In 2021, Ireland was one of the first countries to submit a national food system transformation pathway, Food Vision 2030, to the United Nations Food Systems Summit. Since then, I have been promoting food systems transformation in Ireland and in our bilateral and multilateral engagements internationally.

Ireland is a world leader in sustainable foods systems from farm to fork and I used the opportunity at COP28 to showcase our story as a model for other food producing countries. This builds on consistent engagement I’ve undertaken at other UN and FAO fora where sustainable food is discussed.

A significant achievement for COP28 and its Presidency has been the Emirates Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems and Climate Action. This Declaration was announced on Day 1 of the Summit by the COP Presidency who confirmed that 134 countries had signed the Declaration, a number which had risen to 152 by the time of my departure last Sunday. In his opening address to the Summit, An Taoiseach confirmed that Ireland has signed the Declaration. Signatories to the Declaration are committing to a much closer future integration between national policies for sustainable food production and climate policy and action.

This commitment is fully consistent with two key Irish government policies, Food Vision 2030 and the Climate Action Plan.

Over the two days, I engaged in a number of Agri-Climate Food Systems focused events and bilateral meetings. I was particularly pleased to co-host an event with the COP President hosts, United Arab Emirates, at which I delivered a keynote address at the ‘Sustainable Food Systems Approach to Innovation for Climate Action’ in conjunction with the United Arab Emirate’s undersecretary responsible for Food Diversity, Mohammed Mousa Alameeri.

My attendance at COP28 was an important opportunity to contribute to the global dialogue on sustainable food systems. As a food producing nation, it is critically important that Irish agriculture and food is represented on the world stage.