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Eamon Ryan made lead EU negotiator on crucial issue at COP27

The minister is representing the EU in talks on loss and damage supports, which he said will be “difficult” and “protracted”.

MINISTER FOR CLIMATE Eamon Ryan has been made a lead negotiator for the EU at COP27 on the important issue of supports for developing countries.

In the final days of the UN climate conference, the minister is representing the European Council in loss and damage negotiations that are looking at how rich, heavy-emitting countries will support those that are the most affected and least responsible for the climate crisis.

Minister Ryan arrived at the conference on Monday as it entered its second week. 

It is due to end on Friday but may extend into the weekend.

Speaking to reporters at the conference this afternoon, the minister said that an EU coordination meeting this morning considered a proposal on loss and damage from the G77 on loss and damage.

The G77, which includes over 130 developing countries, and China put forward a proposal to create a specific fund and a committee with 35 members representing developed and developing countries to meet four times a year.

“We take the positive things out of it, but there are elements that we found very difficult,” Minister Ryan said.

He said he believed that specific prioritisation must be given to countries most vulnerable to the climate crisis rather than including wealthier countries such as China under a blanket arrangement.

“It was agreed at the European Union coordination meeting that we would try to draft our own alternative proposals taking what’s good in that G77 proposal but really being much more specific, protecting the most vulnerable, involving not just states but other actors to help provide for loss and damage.

“[The EU is] looking as well at an ecosystem of financial funding mechanisms, not just one fund,” he said.

“I was asked by the European Council to represent the Council on the loss and damage negotiations. I’m honoured to do that.”

He said the EU must build trust with negotiating countries and show it is “serious about providing the greatest possible support for particularly the most vulnerable countries”.

“The key task is to turn that intent into a common text that people can rally behind.

“It will be difficult, it will be probably protracted over the next two days. But we’re committed to doing whatever we can to help our union and deliver a good outcome.”

Last year, at COP26 in Glasgow, developing countries called for a finance facility to be established but the US and EU would not get on board.

Activists are concerned that significant progress on establishing a dedicated loss and damage fund has not been made at this COP, fearing that developed countries will again push the issue to the margins.

Trócaire Head of Advocacy and Policy Siobhan Curran said in a statement that “so far at COP we have seen pledges of finance, but these are a relabelling of previous promises”.

“It’s deeply unfair that the world’s poorest countries are being forced to divert much needed public finance for sustainable development into dealing with crises and are incurring massive debt,” Curran said.

“This is not good enough. Developing countries want a decision to create a fund for loss and damage.

“Instead developed countries are calling for more time to assess the current support landscape, coordinate relevant actors and institutions and to identify gaps and possible sources of funding. Developing countries see this as kicking the can down the road.”

She said it is a matter of justice for Ireland and the EU to play a leadership role on loss and damage funding.

“A commitment to a finance facility will be key to the success of this COP.

“Further delay on this issue is a denial of climate justice and lacks the urgency that is needed to deal with escalating climate crises that people in the Global South are experiencing right now.”

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    Mute Sean Walsh
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    Nov 16th 2022, 3:26 PM

    The whole of the EU better get ready to have the bejayus taxed out of everything, because that’s the Green Party answer to climate change- if it moves or can be burned, tax it into oblivion.

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    Mute Sean Byrne
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    Nov 16th 2022, 4:07 PM

    @Sean Walsh: Except Apple Inc, shipping, aviation, super yachts, private jets and livestock perhaps.

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    Mute Giles Wolohan
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    Nov 16th 2022, 4:38 PM

    @Sean Byrne: and 800 private jets that flew to Egypt to tell the rest of the world to ride our bikes to work

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    Mute Niall Mullane
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    Nov 16th 2022, 3:14 PM

    Will he tell them to grow veg on south facing window sills and go to neighbours house for heat?

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    Mute Nora McElhinney
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    Nov 16th 2022, 3:25 PM

    @Niall Mullane: bleedin’ clown……

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    Mute Niall Moonan
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    Nov 16th 2022, 3:27 PM

    Is it April 1st?

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    Mute Ned
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    Nov 16th 2022, 3:39 PM

    My take is no one else wanted it so they dumped it on this lad who worships at the alter of climate change,

    263
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    Mute Declan Moran
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    Nov 16th 2022, 3:34 PM

    Ah lord. Was he the only one awake :)

    223
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    Mute John O Mahony
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    Nov 16th 2022, 3:47 PM

    God help us all

    187
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    Mute antisocialbarber
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    Nov 16th 2022, 3:44 PM

    Lord bless us and save us!!!!! King cabbages smug level will be cranked right up to 11

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    Mute Shane McGrath
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    Nov 16th 2022, 3:23 PM

    We’ll have our salads…..

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    Mute Pat Man
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    Nov 16th 2022, 4:17 PM

    What about a Loss and Damage Support Plan here Eamon, after the havoc that you’re Green Party has inflicted on the vast majority of ordinary Irish Citizens

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    Mute Ísla Carabine
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    Nov 16th 2022, 3:32 PM

    Christ on a Bike

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    Mute Willie Murphy
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    Nov 16th 2022, 4:13 PM

    @Ísla Carabine: He’d be very happy with that ;)

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    Mute l
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    Nov 16th 2022, 4:35 PM

    Our collective futures in the hands of a Lettuce..

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    Mute Enda Daly
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    Nov 16th 2022, 4:24 PM

    That’s is one headline I didn’t think I’d ever read, goes to show what the rest of the politicians in the EU are like

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    Mute Paul Hughes
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    Nov 16th 2022, 5:26 PM

    He doesn’t even support nuclear energy as an alternative to fossil fuel. There’s none of them with a clue there

    93
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    Mute Peter B
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    Nov 16th 2022, 3:21 PM

    Fair play to him. He gets a lot of stick in this country proposing unpopular ideas. If only more politicians were prepared to put credibility on line to push agendas they believe in.

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    Mute David Corrigan
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    Nov 16th 2022, 4:08 PM

    @Peter B: He closes down power plants here in Ireland while there are no alternative power sources.
    Yeah, that’s leading the leading edge of energy management alright Pete.

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    Mute Pat Moriarty
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    Nov 16th 2022, 6:18 PM

    @Peter B: he’s a joke

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    Mute Dave Byrne
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    Nov 16th 2022, 6:23 PM

    @Peter B: Fair play to him ? You forgot his 9 special advisors, one who is PT on €50k PA.

    58
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    Mute Joe_X
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    Nov 16th 2022, 7:36 PM

    @Peter B: please tell me you are joking. Ryan is a one man climate catastrophe on his own. At the height of an energy crisis and cost of living crisis, he has shut down power stations that burned an indigenous fuel costing us more on imported fuels because he never got the replacements in place first, and increased carbon taxes to the effect that most people struggle more than before and turned people against any form of Green movement. Him and his party need to be voted out!

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    Mute Michael Nolan
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    Nov 17th 2022, 10:57 AM

    @Peter B: he and his ilk are propping up ffg nothing else

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    Mute Pauline Cahill
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    Nov 16th 2022, 4:50 PM

    Why are they allowing that muppet be lead negotiator he will do more damage than anyone

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    Mute Alan ODoherty
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    Nov 16th 2022, 5:18 PM

    Excellent – maybe he’ll move to Europe and leave us alone then !!!

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    Mute Joe_X
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    Nov 16th 2022, 7:39 PM

    @Alan ODoherty: nah, not that lucky. The only good thing from this is that the rest of Europe will finally see what we have had to endure.

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    Mute John Sleator
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    Nov 16th 2022, 4:01 PM

    They can all carpool

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    Mute Fergus Murphy
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    Nov 16th 2022, 6:53 PM

    This akin to sending Dustin to the Eurovision

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    Mute Paulpablo Boland
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    Nov 16th 2022, 4:11 PM

    The clown won’t stay awake

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    Mute Paul Shepherd
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    Nov 16th 2022, 5:35 PM

    We’re all doomed so….

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    Mute time for a fair Ireland
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    Nov 16th 2022, 3:51 PM

    The European project is dead…….we wouldn’t have to leave they will kick us out

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    Mute Dave Forde
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    Nov 16th 2022, 3:16 PM

    Well done Eamon. Keep up the fantastic work. No better man

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    Mute Pat Moriarty
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    Nov 16th 2022, 6:18 PM

    @Dave Forde: go back to sleep

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    Mute John Flanagan
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    Nov 16th 2022, 5:35 PM

    My god. Are they that stuck. Like get a life. Take ye all yer time to keep him awake.

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    Mute Paul Power
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    Nov 16th 2022, 6:19 PM

    Great tan there Éamon, must be in the sun a lot lately.

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    Mute Derek Lyster
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    Nov 16th 2022, 6:42 PM

    Lol, they must have pulled his name out of a hat

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    Mute Jim Casey
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    Nov 16th 2022, 6:09 PM

    He’s absolutely delighted with himself …….. like a kid that got a new toy …… omg

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    Mute Barry Cahill
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    Nov 16th 2022, 9:57 PM

    What genius tax will Eamon think of next? Exhaling tax? Breaking wind tax?? The possibilities are endless!

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    Mute Tom
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    Nov 16th 2022, 6:39 PM

    Sweet Suffering Jesus

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    Mute Niall Sheridan
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    Nov 16th 2022, 7:10 PM

    He will have to have someone beside him to give him a nudge now and again just to make sure he won’t be falling asleep!

    36
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    Mute pat seery
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    Nov 16th 2022, 7:51 PM

    Lets hope he never comes back

    43
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    Mute Eddie Keoghan
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    Nov 16th 2022, 10:10 PM

    Jasus, they must be desperate

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    Mute NotMyIreland
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    Nov 16th 2022, 5:37 PM

    He may get a lot of stick in this country, but internationally he is seen as the world leader in terms of funding models for sustainable transport and all nations have been pointed in his direction when formulating their future transport funding. The 10% of transport budget for active travel is a great example of this. They may be unpopular decisions but they are necessary.

    17
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    Mute Jim Casey
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    Nov 16th 2022, 6:10 PM

    @NotMyIreland: ah how much did he pay you to say that ?

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    Mute Pat Moriarty
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    Nov 16th 2022, 6:20 PM

    @NotMyIreland: what planet are you on?

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    Mute Derek Lyster
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    Nov 16th 2022, 6:41 PM

    @NotMyIreland: to put it into context, Trump, Boris and Liz Truss were also leaders on the world stage

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    Mute NotMyIreland
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    Nov 16th 2022, 6:56 PM

    @Derek Lyster: Fair point. They were world leaders because they led their countries, so because they held power, not because of innovative policy decisions. Eamonn doesn’t lead his country so a little different.

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    Mute Joe_X
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    Nov 16th 2022, 7:43 PM

    @NotMyIreland: funny you should say that….anything he seems to want he gets because the other 2 are too scared to stand up to him and say no for fear the greens pull out of Government. No, he may not be the “Leader” but he is the one that seems to be calling the shots.

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    Mute Derek Lyster
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    Nov 16th 2022, 11:32 PM

    @NotMyIreland: Innovative policies? Lol and I wouldnt trust him to lead a donkey out of a field never mind run a country.

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    Mute trebloc01
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    Nov 17th 2022, 12:10 AM

    Away with the fairies

    18
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    Mute Finnster
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    Nov 17th 2022, 6:17 AM

    Can they please just keep him . There isn’t a person outside Dublin that wants to see anymore of this plonker

    21
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    Mute Dónal Ó Keeffe
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    Nov 17th 2022, 8:36 AM

    Love how the article make you think he is a defender of the poorest countries. The wealthiest countries will probably be delighted with Eamonn as he will surely opt for taxing the Poorest to save the planet.

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    Mute NotMyIreland
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    Nov 16th 2022, 6:55 PM

    Fair point. They were world leaders because they led their countries, so because they held power, not because of innovative policy decisions. Eamonn doesn’t lead his country so a little different.

    9
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    Mute Joanne Stokes
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    Nov 17th 2022, 5:01 AM

    Og god, gather around people and lettuce pray!

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    Mute Jason Walsh
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    Nov 17th 2022, 8:40 AM

    Him speaking about loss of habitats when at home all he cares for is taxing folk. How about a blanket ban on the destruction of our bog land, assistance with reforestation of native woodland, protection for the Irish hare and fox, etc.

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    Mute Michael Nolan
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    Nov 17th 2022, 10:55 AM

    Wtf …shouldn’t be let near a mic

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    Mute Mike Dunne
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    Nov 17th 2022, 10:42 AM

    This is an April fools joke, surely.

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    Mute Hugo Boss
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    Nov 17th 2022, 2:41 PM

    Did all three

    martin Ryan and varadkar go to cop

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