Ireland and ADB Helping Fight Climate Change

The Government of Ireland in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ABD) have agreed upon establishing the Ireland Trust Fund for Building Climate Change and Disaster Resilience in Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

According to the official press statement, the trust fund is committing to an initial 6-year program of funding of €12 million for the period 2019 to 2024. It says that funding for the second half of 2019 will be €1.5 million and it is envisaged that some projects can commence this very year. The trust fund will be supporting technical assistance and capacity development in the SIDS.

The ADB Vice-President Ahmed Saeed said ADB recognizes that the small island developing states are among the world's most at-risk nations to natural hazards and effects of climate change. "We are delighted to partner with the Government of Ireland to establish this trust fund which will help people in the region improve their resilience to climate change through activities such as financing climate-proof infrastructure, helping countries plan for and respond to climate change, and leveraging global climate resources for mitigation and adaptation efforts."

Ireland's Minister for International Development Ciaran Cannon said the trust fund represents a deepening of their cooperation with ADB and reflects their commitment to small island developing states and combating climate change. "Ireland recognizes the vulnerability of many small island developing states is particularly acute and as a small island state ourselves, this is something to which we should respond."

The fund will increase preparedness and resilience of SIDS to disasters caused by natural hazards and to the impact of climate change.