National Statement by Minister Eamon Ryan at the UN High-level Political Forum

I’m honoured to be here on behalf of the Irish Government as we recommit to the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels and to build momentum towards the SDG Summit.

As the response to the pandemic confirmed, global problems can only be tackled through collective action. We will succeed, or fail, together.

The Secretary General’s words this morning are ringing in my ears, recognising that at this midway point in achieving this Agenda, we are not on track. Only 12% of the Sustainable Development Goals are where we would want them. As he says, 50% of the measures so far are insufficient and one third are in reverse. This is due to the impacts of COVID, to the global instability and conflict we are seeing, but also structural challenges which pre-date them. First among them, the existential threat of climate change. The stakes could not be higher, and we must all do our part to deliver a better future.

In that context Ireland is proud to play a continued role in advancing the 2030 Agenda. Drawing from our experience co-chairing the negotiations that led to its adoption, we are honoured to be co-facilitating the negotiations on the Political Declaration for the SDG Summit this September.

We are at a critical point in those negotiations on that political declaration. Failure is not an option. Bold leadership and diplomacy will be crucial to deliver success, and we ask for your support in this.

The Summit in September also presents an opportunity for us to reflect more deeply on the lessons learned in formulating our response to the existential global crisis of the pandemic. The experience then has been a clear reminder to us all, not to leave anybody behind, to think of those furthest behind most. Unless my neighbour’s safety is secured, none of our safety is in place.

We need to learn the lessons from the pandemic. Government policy has to be evidence-based, designed, and targeted for the public good informed by scientific advice, and the science based on climate change is the one we are all aware of today.

As we see in so many different charts, our natural systems start to go off any historic record. In land temperature extremes, in ocean temperatures, in ice formation, every part of the world we look we see dramatic signs that our people are not safe, that we need to act fast.

And we need to particularly act fast in the area of energy. We know we need to double energy efficiency in the closing part of this decade and triple renewable energy power if we are to have a chance of meeting that 1.5-degree record. I believe that we have to target and make sure first and foremost that it is the developing countries of this world who have access and fair finance to be able to roll out that technology and we commit to working within the climate negotiations, with other international organisations to try and deliver that fair system of energy development. This is the peace project of our time.

We will never go to war over access to renewable power, you will never be able to hold a country to ransom regarding their access to solar or wind, this is where we have to work on a race to the top rather than a race to the bottom and recognise that all our security is enhanced when each country gets access to that power. It’s an endless resource. One country not having access to it does not diminish the others. In that area and in others we need to work together to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals and bring us back on track to ending poverty, ending hunger and ending the wars and conflicts that come from these resource wars in our world.