Climate change

Climate change affects everyone, but not equally. The poorest people in the world face the worst impacts.

Ireland is committed to tackling this global crisis by supporting the most vulnerable people to meet the challenges posed by climate change. We focus our support on communities in Least Developed Countries (LDC), Small Island Developing States (SIDs), and fragile states. Our work builds resilience and helps these communities to develop despite the challenges they face.

Climate finance and diplomacy

Climate finance is an integral part of Ireland’s foreign policy. In 2021, Ireland committed to more-than-double our climate finance to at least €225 million per year by 2025. Our climate finance spend has been increasing steadily and we are on track to reach our target.

In 2022 we published an International Climate Finance Roadmap to chart our path to scale up this funding in a way that would also ensure quality and alignment with our international development priorities. A review of the Roadmap was completed in 2025 and will inform Ireland’s approach to climate finance in the period 2026-30.

Climate diplomacy is also a central part of Ireland’s international climate action. We use our voice to advocate with, and for, the countries most at risk from the effects of climate change. We do this through the UN, EU, and other international fora, championing climate justice and an emphasis on adaptation and Loss and Damage.

Adaptation

Loss and damage

Oceans and biodiversity

Climate, peace and development

We also build climate action into our work in other areas. This includes human rights, private sector engagement, gender and youth issues.

Climate adaptation means taking action to reduce the likely impacts of climate change. Adaptation builds people’s ability to withstand the impacts. Interventions can range from flood defences to climate-smart agriculture.

Adaptation is the core focus of Ireland's climate finance and support. Many of the countries where Ireland works are on the frontlines of climate impacts. In 2023, 86% of Ireland’s climate finance is focused on climate change adaptation, either as a whole or as one component.

Ireland supports the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Global Network and the Least Developed Countries Fund, both of which help countries to develop and implement national adaptation plans.

Mitigating the effects of climate change

Ireland also supports the Special Climate Change Fund's work on adaptation and resilience in Small Island Developing States.

Adaptation is a key pillar of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement. Under the UNFCCC, mechanisms exist to support adaptation in developing countries. This includes the Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG) of which Ireland is a member and funder, the Adaptation Committee and the Nairobi Work Programme on impacts, vulnerability, and adaptation to climate change.

Ireland engages in the UN process to support the work and support countries to mitigate against and adapt to the effects of climate change.

Those least responsible for the causes of climate change are most vulnerable to its consequences. Extreme weather and other impacts lead to loss of life, displacement, and much more. Loss and damage occurs when people experience these impacts. Loss and Damage can be quantifiable, for example, the cost to rebuild infrastructure but it can also be less quantifiable ‘non-economic’, for example, loss of cultural heritage and language.

The Santiago Network was established at COP25. This network links technical help to the needs of developing countries to avert, minimise and address Loss and Damage. Ireland pledged €5 million to the Santiago Network at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021.

The Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage was established at COP28 in 2023. Ireland was nominated to the Board of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage and shares a seat with the European Commission. As of January 2026, Ireland has contributed €25 million to the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage.

Ireland’s main priority on the Board is ensuring that vulnerable countries and communities can access the Fund. The pilot phase of the Fund has a minimum allocation of 50% for LDCs and SIDS, which Ireland was instrumental in achieving within the negotiations, and we are keen to ensure that the Fund operationalises this commitment.

Oceans hold 97% of all our water and 80% of all life forms. They absorb 50 times more carbon dioxide than our atmosphere. Without healthy oceans, life on this planet is at risk.

The ocean plays a vital role for Ireland in terms of our health, climate, economy and society. Ireland's international ocean work seeks to address three broad interlinked areas of work:

• Addressing climate change, marine pollution and biodiversity
• Support for sustainable jobs and livelihoods
• International governance of oceans

Climate change poses a significant risk to fragile and conflict affected states. People around the world have to contend with more extreme weather and scarcer resources. This leaves vulnerable populations even more exposed to crises.

During the two years Ireland spent on the UN Security Council in 2021 and 2022, we consistently endeavoured to raise awareness of climate and security issues. Since leaving the Council, we have worked to have a practical impact by supporting partners to address impacts on the ground.

Ireland supports a positive framing of climate and security, focusing on peace-building. This includes building climate considerations into conflict resolution and peacebuilding efforts, as well as climate-proofing development and humanitarian actions, particularly in relation to early warning, anticipatory action, and building longer-term adaptation considerations into humanitarian programming. Ireland works closely with our partners across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia in applying a climate lens in support of international peace and stability.

Climate action and gender

The impacts of climate change further risk the erosion of women’s rights and gender equality. Enduring gendered inequalities place women and girls in positions that make them more vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Additionally, women’s role in addressing the climate crisis is often overlooked and undervalued.

Ireland's international action and climate finance strengthens women's voice and leadership. We support the full and meaningful participation of women in decision-making processes on climate change. Ireland helps women's and grassroots organisations to access climate finance through our partnerships.

Our partnership with the Women’s Environment and Development Organisation supports women’s rights advocates and experts from across the world to ensure gender-just climate action and financing.

Climate action and human rights

Climate change is fundamentally a human rights issue that affects everyone but with groups such as women, persons with disabilities and indigenous peoples being disproportionately affected.

We ensure this link is recognised in United Nations Resolutions at the Human Rights Council and General Assembly.

Ireland is committed to championing this link on the global stage. We actively work to ensure this connection is formally recognised in United Nations (UN) Resolutions at the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly.