Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 June 2023
46. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the funds allocated for the purpose of climate finance in the years 2020 to date; the subhead they are allocated under; if it is his intention to allocate and account for climate finance separately from overseas development aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30061/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraInternational climate finance is a priority for the Government and for Ireland’s foreign policy.
Last year, the Department of Foreign Affairs led on a cross-governmental process to formulate the Government's International Climate Finance Roadmap, which was published in July 2022.
The Roadmap sets out how Ireland will deliver on the target of providing at least €225 million annually in international climate finance by 2025, a commitment made by the Taoiseach at COP 26 in Glasgow in November 2021. Meeting this commitment will represent a more than doubling of Ireland’s climate finance. As the Roadmap sets out, the primary focus of Ireland’s climate finance is on supporting adaptation and resilience in the most vulnerable developing countries and communities.
The Government reports Ireland's climate finance expenditure on an annual basis, in line with the reporting requirements of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and with reporting guidance provided by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The Department of Foreign Affairs produces an annual climate finance report, which provides information on the sources of finance, the thematic and geographic focus of funding and the channels through which funding is provided. The reports are available on the Irish Aid website.
Over the past decade, Ireland has steadily increased its international climate finance. The most recent climate finance figures cover funding provided in 2021. In 2021, Ireland provided €99.6 million in international climate finance. This represented an increase of 12.8% on the total of €88.3 million in 2020.
International climate finance is provided by four Government Departments: Foreign Affairs; Environment, Climate and Communications; Finance; and Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Climate finance provided by the Department of Foreign Affairs is sourced from Official Development Assistance, under Vote 27, and targets climate-related activities in vulnerable developing countries.
