Taoiseach Micheal Martin told world leaders at COP27 in Egypt yesterday that while they have made progress on the climate crisis “it is far from enough”.
The Fianna Fail leader promised to do all he can to bring about a world “alive with an abundance of plant and animal life, with cleaner water and healthier air, with liveable cities and sustainable rural communities”.
His comments followed an announcement that Ireland will give €10million to a new global fund to help countries “suffering loss and damage as a result of climate change”.
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He continued: “The idea is, along with the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme, to create financial instruments to cover risk and to help countries like Sri Lanka, for example, and African countries to prepare better so they can respond more quickly to the extraordinary damage climate change does.
“We heard some really horrific presentations from the Sri Lankan President, the Prime Minister of Pakistan – extraordinary devastation, millions and millions of people with no homes, an entire region devastated.
“Their contribution to global warming has been minimal compared to industrialised nations, yet bearing the brunt more than anybody.”
While the Global Shield funding will come from the €225million Ireland has promised to pay developing nations each year by 2025, the Taoiseach says “it is linked to a new approach to loss and damage”.
Mr Martin added: “I think it’s a good initiative and with the power of a country like Germany behind it and the key agencies it has a good prospect of progressing.
“Ireland has been leading on loss and damage as a theme, in particular people in the Department of Foreign Affairs, so we are very happy to work with this initiative.”
The Irish Mirror understands an entirely separate fund to cover losses and damage to climate crisis inflicted countries is still under discussion.
It has been suggested that a mosaic of solutions including Global Shield are needed since climate related disasters vary wildly.
The Taoiseach told us the biggest challenge at COP27 is “turning the genuine sense of urgency everybody has into a collective uniform approach to climate change”.
He said: “I think the issue is how fast can we make the changes in human behaviour to turn back the tide and get to the levels required to avoid disaster.
“Climate change is a key plank of the Programme for Government. The legislation and the climate laws we’ve passed will both challenge government and various sectors of our economy to change significantly.”
Addressing world leaders at the summit, Mr Martin said: “It is our responsibility to drive the transformation necessary.”
He highlighted Ireland’s bid to become climate neutral by 2050 and reduce emissions 51% by 2030 alongside its International Climate Finance Roadmap to help vulnerable countries make the changes needed.
Mr Martin warned “our citizens will become increasingly cynical, weary and hopeless if words are not urgently matched by deeds – if commitments do not generate new realities”.
UCC’s Professor Hannah Daly praised the Taoiseach’s speech, saying his meeting with countries hit by climate disasters must have “left an impression”.
But she added: “Horrifyingly, Ireland still has its foot on the accelerator on climate damages – to use the words of Antonio Guterres – because our greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise at home.
“Words and ambitious targets are cheap, but action is hard.
“So I hope that when he returns from COP27, the Taoiseach takes home the messages he has heard from those whose lives are being devastated from climate change.
Ireland was praised during a COP27 event for its support on tackling coastal erosion.
Sinead Walsh, who heads up Irish Aid, said: “As an island ourselves, we are very aware when we are having oceans conversations of the impact on those coastal communities of the sea level rise we are seeing.
“We got some feedback yesterday when our [Mr Martin] met with the President of Vanuatu on the funding that was going to Vanuatu.
“It is making a difference.”
Vanuatu, a South Pacific Ocean nation made up of around 80 islands, has asked the International Court of Justice to consider who is responsible for climate change
Vanuatu’s President Nikenike Vurobaravu told world leaders: “Our young people are demanding climate justice and intergenerational equity.”
And another Pacific island, Tuvalu, has asked the UN to demand an international treaty to phase out the use of coal, oil and gas.
Tuvalu, which is also vulnerable to rising seas, put forward the international fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty at COP27 yesterday.
It is unclear yet whether Ireland will support the move.
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