Working towards SDG 13, Climate Action: Ireland at COP24
News
07 December 2018
Ireland at COP24
Working towards SDG 13, Climate Action
Ireland at COP24
“If we don’t take action, the collapse of our civilisations and the extinction of much of the natural world is on the horizon.” – Sir David Attenborough, COP24 Opening Ceremony
The UN climate conference, referred to as the COP (Conference of Parties) provides crucial space for countries to come together and thrash out ideas, concerns and decisions regarding national and international efforts to tackle climate change.
COP24, taking place in Poland this year, is an important milestone as it brings together over 195 countries to lay down the rules that will govern the Paris Agreement, and make it a reality on the ground.
COP24 is being held against the backdrop of a landmark report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on global warming of 1.5ºC, published in October 2018. The report highlights the pressing urgency to tackle climate change, and the closing window of time that the international community has to do this.
Irish Aid works with countries that are at the forefront of climate change – countries that already experience intense drought, sea-level rise, extreme weather events and loss of biodiversity, among others. All of these effects lead to longer term development challenges for our partner countries and erode the opportunity for poorer people to free themselves from poverty and inequality. Irish Aid works with our partners to strengthen their capacity and resilience against the impacts of climate change, and empower communities to drive the solutions for longer term sustainable development.
At COP24, Irish Aid is bringing forward our experiences from working with our partners, many of which are Least Developed Countries (LDCs). We are also supporting LDCs and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to amplify their voices and concerns at the climate talks. We are highlighting priority issues such as adaptation and resilience to climate change impacts, and are working with our partner countries to identify how to best address their needs in the face of a changing climate, including through technical support and capacity-building
We are also concentrating our efforts on strengthening the inclusion and empowerment of women in climate action, including in the UN climate discussions. Women commonly face higher risks when confronted with natural hazards and they carry the most burden from the effects of climate change.
At COP24, the Irish delegation is building on last year’s work which culminated in the establishment of a Gender Action Plan. We are promoting our newly published policy brief which spells out how policy-makers and practitioners can advance the role of women in leading climate solutions. We will also work with other countries to put the Gender Action Plan in motion.