Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 November 2021
212. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his Department has engaged with other countries in respect of Sustainable Development Goal 3 of the 2030 United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58229/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a significant and ambitious policy agenda that concerns all Government Departments. The first National Implementation Plan 2018-2020, published in 2018, was developed to oversee and facilitate coherent implementation of the SDGs across Government, and to promote awareness of the SDGs.
A renewed focus is currently being given to progress Ireland’s commitment to Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Substantial progress has been achieved in recent months in respect of reviewing Ireland’s implementation of Agenda 2030 and identifying key priorities and actions for inclusion in the next National Implementation Plan. It is intended that the draft Plan will be made available shortly and form the basis of discussion at the next SDG National Stakeholder Forum. This will allow for a final round of input from stakeholders prior to finalisation and publication.
Ireland has adopted a ‘whole-of-Government’ approach to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with each Minister having responsibility for implementing individual SDG targets related to their functions. As Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications I have lead responsibility for targets related to a number of SDGs, including Goal 12 on Sustainable Consumption and Production, as well as Goal 7 on Energy and Goal 13 on Climate Action. In addition, I have overall responsibility for promoting the SDGs, and for overseeing their coherent implementation across Government.
Ireland engages actively through the European Union (EU) to support the global commitment to achieving Agenda 2030, in particular, through the United Nations (UN). A number of UN Framework Conventions, including the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), provide mechanisms for international cooperation to tackle climate and ecological challenges, in particular, through the adoption of ambitious treaties and agreements such as the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Ireland recognises that multilateral responses are crucial to tackling environmental and climate-related challenges, and my Department engages with relevant EU and UN structures to support these objectives, both directly and through cross-departmental participation as appropriate.
