Leadership and Governance on climate change
We engage with key institutions to ensure that the needs of poor people and communities are taken into account in national and international polices aimed at promoting sustainable development.
Environmental sustainability matters
Climate change and environmental degradation are global problems that urgently require a global solution. Without an ambitious reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the effects of climate change will have an ever-increasing impact on the lives of the poorest communities in the least developed countries.
Environmental hazards such as pollution and climate-related environmental phenomenon affect poorer populations because they cause drought, crop failure and irregular rainfall patterns.
In 1997, most developed countries, including Ireland, signed up to the Kyoto Protocol, which sets clear targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions.
These targets expire at the end of 2012 and agreeing a further legally-binding global climate agreement is now the key objective for the international community.
Our response
Internationally, we advocate for a focus on sustainable development and climate adaptation for the world’s least-developed countries.
Working with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, we actively engage in relevant international negotiations, which are seeking to agree a new legally-binding global climate agreement.
Our primary focus is on issues that are of most relevance to the needs of poor people and communities in developing countries.
Environmental conditions and the impact of climate change are key issues in the global fight against hunger.
Ensuring food and nutrition security are on the agenda
At the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20), working with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, we took a lead role on ensuring that food and nutrition security was high on the agenda. This is because we believe environmental conditions and the impact of climate change are key issues in the global fight against hunger.
We are engaged with the post-2015 development framework process, and will work to ensure that hunger and environmental and climate change challenges are recognised and addressed in a consistent and coherent manner in the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) policy discussions.
Our commitment to climate change
We actively participate in the on-going United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiation process. Our focus is on issues related to and of most relevance to the least developed countries.
The process is working towards a comprehensive global agreement, to be finalised by 2015. It is hoped that this global agreement will set out the general goals, rules and procedures towards equitably addressing the climate change challenge.
Ensuring the voices of developing countries are heard
Developing countries need to be represented by an adequate number of skilled negotiators in order to ensure that their national priorities are heard. We support the participation of delegates from developing countries at international negotiations.