139. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will clarify how, and at what level, Ireland participated in the Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels summit held in Santa Marta, Colombia, from 24-29 April 2026; if a Minister or Minister of State represented Ireland at the high-level segment; if not, if Ireland’s participation was at official/civil servant level only; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65857/26]

Ireland was a strong supporter of the recent First International Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, lead by Colombia and the Netherlands and held in Santa Marta, Colombia, in April 2026. The Conference presented an important opportunity to begin discussions on how we can progress the transition away from fossil fuels globally.

Ireland was represented at the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, including its High Level Segment, by a delegation of senior officials from my Department, led at Assistant Secretary level.

Ireland looks forward to playing its part to continue the work that was begun by Colombia and the Netherlands, by partnering with Tuvalu to co-host the Second Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels. The Second Conference will be held in Tuvalu in 2027, with pre-meetings to be held in Dublin.

The current context of international energy instability continues to demonstrate that our transition to a clean energy future is more urgent than ever.

The transition away from fossil fuels and the transition to renewable energy is crucial for both climate change mitigation and our collective energy security. While this process is urgent, it must be carried out in a manner that is just, equitable and orderly, especially for the most vulnerable.