Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 January 2018
140. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the amount of funding his Department is providing to the Green Climate Fund in 2018; if this is his Department's only contribution to overseas climate adaptation and mitigation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1182/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraEstablished in 2010, the Green Climate Fund supports the efforts of developing countries to respond to the challenge of climate change. Irish Government contributions to the Green Climate Fund falls under the remit of the Department for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment.
In addition to Irish Government funding to the Green Climate Fund, Irish Aid, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, funds climate adaptation and mitigation activities in some of the least developed countries, those often most impacted by the devastating effects of climate change. This funding consists of contributions to multilateral organisations, grants to NGOs, and programmes implemented through our Embassies.
We rigorously track our climate finance expenditure and report annually to the UN on our commitments under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. In 2016, Ireland was voted by Adaptation Watch the second most transparent donor in its reporting of climate finance.
That year, we provided €50.6m in climate finance as part of our Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) programme. The vast majority of these funds went to support adaptation to climate change in least developed countries, focusing on smallholder agriculture, social protection, reducing the risks of natural disasters, and the impact of climate change on women.
Under the Paris Agreement, Irish Aid also directly supports the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) and Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Ireland has committed to providing €1 million per annum to the LDCF, and €500,000 per annum to the LEG, for the 2016-18 period. We anticipate levels of expenditure on climate adaptation and mitigation to remain stable for 2017 and 2018.
