Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 January 2022
82. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of the setting up of a unit within his Department dedicated to working on Ireland’s response to the global climate crisis and tasked with devising a strategy to scale up Ireland’s climate finance contributions as committed to within the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3836/22]
View answerFollowing the commitment in the Programme for Government, a Climate Unit was established in the Department of Foreign Affairs in October 2020. The Unit is currently staffed by nine officials and is embedded in my Department's Development Cooperation and Africa Division.
The Climate Unit has built upon the climate work that was already underway across the Department, in particular the funding of climate action through the Irish Aid programme. The Climate Unit currently has three main areas of thematic focus: Adaptation and Resilience, including Loss and Damage; Climate and Security; and Oceans. In addition, the Climate team are working with colleagues to strengthen capacity across the Department on climate issues.
At the World Leaders’ Summit at COP26, the Taoiseach announced that Ireland will more than double its international climate finance by 2023, to reach at least €225 million per year. The target represents a significant increase on current levels of climate finance (€93.6 million in 2019) and is likely to assist in making significant progress towards the Programme for Government commitment to “at a minimum, double the overall percentage of our development assistance that counts as climate finance” by 2030.
The Programme for Government has tasked the DFA Climate Unit with devising a strategy to scale up Ireland’s climate finance contributions.
The Strategy will provide a pathway to deliver on our targets, whilst ensuring that Ireland’s climate finance is effective and impactful in supporting developing countries to address climate change.
The Climate Unit is working closely with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, the Department of Finance and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Marine, along with other Government Departments, in the development of the Climate Finance Roadmap. Consultation has also taken place with civil society. Work on the Roadmap is well advanced, with a view to finalisation in the first half of the year.
