Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 November 2025
225. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the key policy priorities and negotiating positions Ireland aims to advance at COP30; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63545/25]
View answerThis week, I am leading the Irish national climate delegation at COP30 for the week of political negotiations. I also look forward to playing an active part of the EU team, working to reach a positive outcome from negotiations.
Following the characterisation of COP29 as the “finance COP”, the focus of COP30 has turned to implementation and, as such, there are no headline negotiation items for this COP. The EU will be looking for a balanced outcome that encompasses all key negotiation areas.
Making progress on mitigation is a key priority for the EU and Ireland after the failure to make meaningful progress in this area at COP29. Central to progress on mitigation must be consideration of the new Nationally Determined Contributions which will set out how Parties intend to reduce emissions up to 2035. Ireland submits a joint NDC with its EU partners.
A strong outcome on adaptation will also be central to this COP. The focus of negotiations for adaptation at COP30 will be the Global Goal on Adaptation and its indicators. This highly technical work has been ongoing since COP28. Ireland looks forward to the agreement of the indicators at COP30.
While climate finance will not be as central to COP30 as it was to COP29, it is still expected to deliver some key outcomes. The Baku to Belém Roadmap to 1.3T, mandated at COP29, was published on the 5 November and is currently being considered by the Irish and EU officials. This is not a negotiated item and how it will be reflected in the final outcome remains to be seen. The first week of technical negotiations have also seen discussions on Article 9.1 and adaptation finance amongst Parties. Both I and my officials are monitoring the progress of these discussions closely.
Ireland is advocating for the development of a Roadmap on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels as a key outcome of this COP. Building on the first Global Stocktake and its energy outcomes, such a Roadmap could significantly benefit the much needed energy transition and increase greenhouse gas emissions reductions.
COP30 will be a key milestone for Team Ireland, in particular as we prepare for COP31 at which Ireland will hold the Presidency of the EU and lead the COP negotiations on its behalf.
