ODA, Climate Finance, and the SDGs in Budget 2023

Under the Paris Agreement agreed at COP15, Ireland committed to contribute to an overall target of $1 bn in Climate Finance. Ireland’s current Climate Finance target is €225m by 2025. In a separate agreement in the same year, Ireland also agreed to the UN Target of 0.7% of national income to ODA by 2030. These are separate targets and commitments made under separate agreements, however, Ireland has conflated the two and included Climate Finance as part of our ODA allocations. Between 2017 and 2020, approximately 10% of our ODA allocation each year has been Climate Finance. Social Justice Ireland welcomes the increased allocation in the region of €1.2bn to ODA in Budget 2023. If this full allocation were for the purpose of ODA, this would equate to 0.44% of GNI*.

If, as in previous years, 10% is allocated to Climate Finance, we will need to make up a significant shortfall to reach our target.

 

 

The UN Agenda 2030 outlines 17 SDGs, underpinned by 169 interconnected targets to which world leaders committed. The SDGs provide a roadmap for a sustainable future for all through the eradication of poverty, reduction of inequality worldwide and tackling climate change.

In 2022, Ireland ranked 10th in the EU-14 on The Overall Sustainability Index, highlighting our position as a laggard on the SDGs. Political leadership must commit to tackling climate change, sustainability and inequality if we are to properly meet our targets on the SDGs.

In Budget 2023, Ireland’s contribution to ODA sits at 0.44% of GNI*. An increase on the 2022 contribution and yet, given that Climate Finance is currently included in this figure, despite being a separate commitment under The Paris Agreement, Ireland is failing to achieve necessary progress towards its UN ODA commitment of 0.7% of GNI* by 2030.

For us to properly meet our targets on the SDGs, ODA and Climate Finance must be separated in The Budget, recognising the two as separate and distinct commitments. Political leadership must commit to tackling climate change, sustainability and inequality.

Article 8 of the Paris Agreement enshrines Loss and Damage, a concept extending beyond economic loss and emergency relief, including long-term assistance and protecting cultures and communities. SJI calls for Loss and Damage to be included in The Budget separate to ODA, furthering the SDG commitment to Leave No One Behind, reaching the Last Person First through policy and action.