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Investigates Investigates Money Diaries The Journal TV Climate Crisis Cost of Living Road Safety Newsletters Temperature Check Inside the Newsroom The Journal Investigates Daft.ie Property Allianz Home The 42 Sport TG4 Entertainment The Explainer A deep dive into one big news story Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion Advertisement More Stories Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva addresses a plenary session of the COP30 in Belém, Brazil on 6 November.Alamy Stock Photo Darragh O'Brien The COPs are slow, but they do matter - here's a look inside Minister for Climate Darragh O’Brien tries to demystify the UN’s complicated annual climate conference and what they’ve achieved over the years. 7.01pm, 8 Nov 2025 Share options COP IS THE primary decision-making body of the UN Climate Convention, created in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit. Since the first COP in Berlin in 1995, these annual meetings have been the focal point for global climate diplomacy. And yet, for many people, COP remains a mystery. It generates annual headlines about breakthrough agreements or disappointing stalemates, but the detail of what actually happens in those crowded halls often seems impenetrable. Some see them as talking shops. Others as global circuses. And to be honest, there is some truth in both. Global leaders, negotiators, scientists, activists and journalists are descending on Belém in Brazil for the 30th meeting of the Conference of the Parties under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change — what most people know simply as COP30. As Ireland’s Minister for Climate, Energy and Environment, and a COP novice myself, I want to share some things I have learned since starting this job about what COP has delivered and why it is so important for Ireland to be part of it. At COP21 in Paris, nearly 200 countries committed to limiting global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius, and ideally to 1.5 degrees. That was a turning point. It created a common framework where every country sets its own nationally determined contribution (NDC) to reduce emissions. At COP28 in Dubai in 2023, countries agreed for the first time to “transition away from fossil fuels”. That wording may not sound revolutionary, but it was actually unprecedented. It sent a clear signal to markets, investors, and citizens alike that the fossil fuel era is drawing to a close and will one day be consigned to history. These examples show the potential of COP and how it can deliver meaningful outcomes. Advertisement And yet, the process itself often appears bizarre — even to those of us directly involved. Negotiations take place in cavernous conference halls, often running late into the night. Delegates argue over brackets in draft text, or where a comma should go, or whether a “may” should replace a “shall”. Thousands of observers from NGOs, cities, businesses and youth movements attend events but sometimes feel disconnected from the negotiations themselves. Breaking down the walls We have to be honest about this. If citizens see COP as remote or irrelevant, trust in the process will erode. Climate diplomacy cannot succeed if it is seen only as an insiders’ game, or an industry in and of itself. That is why I believe we must make COP much more accessible, both in how it communicates and in what it delivers. The climate “industry” — and I include governments, negotiators, NGOs, and businesses in this — needs to do a far better job of explaining what COP decisions mean in real life for our citizens, our communities and our businesses. It is not enough to say that we have agreed a new target or set up a new fund. People want to know: how will this lower my energy bills? How will this help me to grow my business? How will this protect my home from flooding? How will this make my community more sustainable and resilient? A floating solar farm off the coast of Sao Paulo, Brazil.Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo For COP30, I want to bring a very clear, practical message: the outcomes must speak directly to citizens and businesses, in Ireland and internationally. Climate diplomacy is not an abstract exercise. To have legitimacy and meaning it must deliver energy affordabililty, resilience to extreme weather and opportunities for workers. These are the messages I want Ireland to champion in Belém: that COP should not just be about negotiating text, but about delivering real change on the ground. Ireland’s role at COP30 Ireland comes to COP30 with credibility. We have a Climate Action Plan that sets out legally binding sectoral emissions ceilings, and we’ve seen three successive years of emissions reductions. Emissions are now at their lowest in three decades despite a larger population and economy, demonstrating that economic growth and emissions reductions can go hand in hand. Related Reads Taoiseach tells world leaders about how Ireland was hit hard by Storm Éowyn 2025 to be among top three warmest years on record, UN warns However we also bring humility. We know we must do more. We see COP as a chance not just to negotiate, but to learn from others and to forge partnerships with those who can help further our agenda. In Brazil, Ireland will stand firmly with our EU partners, advocating for an ambitious new round of national contributions that are consistent with the 1.5-degree pathway. We will continue to stand with Small Island Developing States. We will push for accelerated delivery of climate finance, especially for adaptation and loss and damage. And we will stress the need for transparency and accountability in implementation. Perhaps even more importantly, Ireland has a special responsibility looking ahead to COP31 in 2026. As Presidency of the EU Council in the second half of that year, it will fall to Ireland to ensure that the European Union speaks with one voice in the international negotiations. Taoiseach Micheál Martin addressing the summit in Belém.Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil This is no small task, but I am convinced that the EU’s strength lies in unity. When Europe negotiates as 27 Member States together, it carries real weight. When we are divided, our influence wanes. Ireland’s role will be to build bridges, forge compromises, and ensure the EU remains a leader in global climate ambition. For all its faults, the COP process remains the one place where the whole world gathers to face the climate challenge together. The test for COP30 is whether it can move from words to delivery — from negotiating tables to kitchen tables. Ireland will play its part: in Brazil this November, by bringing a practical message of affordability, resilience and fairness; and in November 2026, by guiding the EU’s common voice as Presidency of the Council. For citizens, what matters is not the complexity of the process, but the results it produces. Our responsibility — my responsibility — is to make sure COP delivers those results. Darragh O’Brien is a Fianna Fáil TD and the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. 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