Climate change: hopes for Dáil ratification of Paris Agreement by November summit

There has been a broad welcome for the Government’s decision to start the ratification process for the Paris Agreement on global climate change.

Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Denis Naughten, having got the green light from Cabinet colleagues, will now seek the approval of Dáil Eireann for ratification. His aim is to have the Agreement fully ratified by Ireland before the next United National global summit on climate change, which is being held in Marrakesh in November.

“Climate change is the defining challenge of our time and it is during our time that the obligation exists for us as a nation to take action,” said Mr Naughten. “This obligation is as much an opportunity as it is an obligation. This is a significant step and a strong signal to the people of Ireland and to the international community of our continued support for the Paris Agreement.”

Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan welcomed the announcement. "There was a fear that Ireland would lag behind in this process, and miss the opportunities that go with it, so this news is very positive. Nobody should underestimate the scale of the challenge we are facing to implement the Paris Agreement and keep global warming below 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels."

He said meeting these targets would require a substantial change in energy, transport, food and industrial systems.

“The real strength of this agreement is the historic consensus reached by over 190 countries to take serious climate action. While the agreement itself doesn’t have any specific mechanisms to reduce emissions, it provides a transparent measure as we ratchet up action on climate.

However, he criticised current Government strategy. “We are currently heading in the wrong direction on climate change – our emissions are rising and we will miss our 2020 reduction targets by a wide margin.”

Environmental groups also welcomed the decision. The Environmental Pillar, which is made up of 28 environmental NGOs, described it as an “historic move” by the Government to take part in the international effort to curb climate change.

Charles Stanley Smith of the Pillar said: "Today is a momentous day for Ireland but we must meet the ambition of the Paris Agreement with action.

“We need politicians in Ireland to do more than say ‘Climate change is the greatest challenge of our generation’. We need politicians who believe it and are willing to take the difficult steps to stop climate change.

“In many ways the stance of the Irish government to climate change is hypocritical. On one hand they make grand statements about the seriousness of climate change and their commitment to action but on the other hand they promote and cheer-lead totally unsustainable practices particularly in the area of agriculture,” he said.