Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 September 2023
103. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to report on his recent UN visit with respect to climate finance and in anticipation of COP 28; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41884/23]
View answerI was in New York from 18 to 22 September to attend the opening of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, with the Taoiseach and Tánaiste.
While in New York, I attended several high-level events at the United Nations, including a Ministerial level meeting on funding for Loss and Damage, the SDG Leaders’ Dialogue, the Climate Ambition Summit, the UN Security Council Open Debate on Ukraine and the Preparatory Meeting for the Summit of the Future.
I also attended a number of high-level side events, including the launch of the Atlantic Cooperation Initiative, meetings of the High Ambition Coalition, the Global Offshore Wind Alliance, the Forum of Small States and the International Fund for Agricultural Development. I also participated at events hosted by the COP28 Presidency and Belgium on accelerating climate action in fragile and vulnerable contexts; Vanuatu and Tuvalu on a global just transition from fossil fuels; Germany on a global renewables goal; and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition on raising ambition for methane mitigation.
I also had a number of bilateral meetings with counterparts, including with the German Secretary of State and Special Envoy for International Climate Action, and the US Special Envoy on Climate Change.
Throughout these engagements I continued to emphasise Ireland’s commitment to delivering concrete financing outcomes for adaptation, loss and damage and mitigation at COP28, including the operationalisation of new funding arrangements to assist vulnerable developing countries respond to the impacts of climate change.
