Ireland was right in the thick of it as a last-minute deal was agreed at COP28 this morning, Eamon Ryan has told Newstalk Breakfast.
Almost 200 countries agreed the deal in Dubai this morning.
The deal calls on the world to transition away from fossil fuels – but stops short of calling for them to be phased out.
The text has already come in for criticism from climate activists who warn that it does not go far enough.
Climate Minister Eamon Ryan acted as the EU’s lead negotiator on climate finance throughout the conference.
Sending a message
He told Newstalk Breakfast the deal sends a message to the world.
“This helps give us a clear signal to the financial world; stop financing fossil fuels and invest in clean energy,” he said.
“We need to stop financing fossil fuels and particularly we need to do that in the developing countries that are being hit the hardest by climate change.
“For 30 years we’ve had the United Nations meeting and never addressed the problem, but today we have.”
It comes just two days after Minister Ryan described the document's first draft as “unacceptable” and “not in any way ambitious enough”.
Breakthrough
He said there was a breakthrough in negotiations yesterday.
“Because the first text was so poor it allowed everyone to come out so strong saying ‘This is not good enough,’” said Minister Ryan.
“We [Ireland] were involved in the higher ambition coalition that has been meeting over the last week.
“It was typically European small island states and less developed countries, but we had a series of meetings yesterday.
“As the day went on Brazil came into the room, the US came into the room, Zambia came into the room. Building that coalition helped get a change in the text.”
Ireland's role
Ireland played a major role in the final negotiations of the agreement, according to Minister Ryan.
“We should also be proud of Ireland on this stage, we had a really good team of civil servants, we had an influence and we were in the middle of the negotiations, he said.
“I think our voice - while small on the world stage - we have a particular place where we are good in making this crossover between north and south.
"We are good at listening and talking to people.”
Minister Ryan said diplomacy still works.
"This deal gives us a sense that multi-literalisms can work, the United Nations can work," he said.
"It’s not perfect, but it is significant, and particularly significant in a world that is divided and fraught with conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine."
Minister Ryan added his thanks to UN Secretary-General António Guterres for his help and effectiveness in finalising Cop28 negotiations today.
Main Image: Eamon Ryan outside Dublin Castle. 23/11/2021. Photograph: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie
