Paul Murphy warns of imminent Horn of Africa famine, urges COP27 fund
Paul Murphy warned of an imminent, potentially devastating famine in the Horn of Africa and called on Ireland to press for a loss and damage finance fund at COP27. He said the coming famine is almost entirely caused by climate change, with rains failing for the fifth season in a row and the sixth season not looking much better.
Warning of imminent famine
Paul Murphy relayed aid agencies' warnings that a devastating famine on a scale not seen since Somalia in 1992 is now imminent in the Horn of Africa. He said hundreds of thousands of women and children have been forced from their homes and are gathering in large camps where supplies, including water, are expensive and increasingly scarce.
Call for loss and damage finance at COP27
He asked when Ireland will take meaningful action at home and push other countries to do so abroad, specifically urging the Irish government to push for a meaningful fund for finance for loss and damage for developing countries to be included in the final agreement at COP27. He noted that this would be 31 years after such a fund was first promised by rich countries during Paris negotiations and asked whether Ireland would join Scotland, Denmark and Wallonia in beginning to pay for loss and damage.
Axfam analysis on fossil fuel profits
Murphy cited research by Axfam showing that the profits of just six fossil fuel companies in the first six months of the year would more than cover the cost of major extreme weather and climate-related events in developing countries and still leave those companies with $70 billion in profits. He highlighted the disparity that these companies are not being required to pay for loss and damage.
Conditions in climate refugee camps
He described the gatherings in large camps as climate refugee camps, emphasising that water and other supplies are costly and scarce, contributing to the humanitarian emergency as drought persists across multiple failed rainy seasons.
Government response and Ireland's international role
A respondent noted Ireland's recent diplomatic activity, saying Ireland has been active on global climate financing, pushed at COP26 and increased its contribution, and has taken strong humanitarian stances on the UN Security Council. The reply said Irish diplomats helped to maintain a humanitarian corridor to Syria, that Ireland called for a proper peace process in Ethiopia and that Ireland promoted the role of women in conflict by bringing women involved in reconciliation to make presentations to the Security Council.
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I met with aid agencies recently who are warning that a devastating famine on a scale not seen since Somalia in 1992 when up to 300,000 people died is now imminent in the Horn of Africa. Already hundreds of thousands of women and children have been forced from their homes and are gathering in large camps where supplies including water are expensive and increasingly scarce. These are climate refugee camps. The coming famine is almost entirely caused by climate change with rains failing for the fifth season in a row and the sixth rainy season not looking much better. When is Ireland finally going to take meaningful action on climate action at home and push for other countries to do so abroad? Will the Irish government push for a meaningful fund for finance for loss and damage for developing countries to be included in the final agreement at COP27? That will be 31 years after such a fund was first promised by rich countries during Paris negotiations. Will Ireland join Scotland, Denmark and Wallonia in beginning to pay for loss and damage? Research by Axfam has shown that the profits of just six fossil fuel companies in the first six months of this year would more than cover the cost of major extreme weather and climate related events in developing countries and still leave them with $70 billion in profits. Yet they are being asked to pay nothing for loss and damage. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. But Deputy Murphy, and Ray, the issue of in terms of financing on climate change, Ireland again has been to the fore in respect of the global financing of particularly countries that need supports. We have been very strong in small island states, for example, and their need for adaptation in respect of climate change and how immediately it is going to impact on them. is going to impact on them and at COP26 we pushed very strongly for an agreement and we upped our own contribution in relation to global financing in respect of climate change and also again at the security council in relation to famine the work of our diplomats on the security council we have a young team there but I think they're an exceptional team of people representing our country and they were instrumental in maintaining the humanitarian corridor to Syria which we got past at the security council despite Bush's kind of reluctance and that that ensures food for millions of people in Syria in Ethiopia the Ethiopian government reduced the number of people of our diplomats at the embassy in Elizabeth because of our stance at the security council in respect of the war in Ethiopia they didn't like Ireland standing out assertively saying what should happen we called for a proper peace process we called for engagement and that wasn't that was thrown upon with the result that our embassy was reduced in numbers so Ireland at the security council has been very effective has taken strong stances from a humanitarian perspective and in particular during our term we pushed the role of women in conflict in all of the areas from Afghanistan right across taking exempt people who've acted as significant um women involved in in reconciliation in Colombia and elsewhere to come before the security council and make presentations
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