The Parliamentary Meeting being held as part of the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), organised as a collaborative effort between the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the UAE Federal National Council (FNC), has issued its Final Communiqué. The meeting rapporteur Meera Al Suwaidi, along with Marwan Al Muhairi, Member of the UAE Parliamentary Division at IPU, and IPU Secretary-General Martin Chungong, announced the Final Communiqué.
Al Muhairi affirmed that the outcomes of the Parliamentary Meeting at COP28 are vital in advancing parliamentary work aimed at driving climate action in collaboration with global experts and decision-makers.
The document called on world parliaments to intensify their legislative and regulatory efforts to encourage governments to take action building on the results of the first Global Stocktake, by updating and boosting their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), fulfilling their collective responsibility, supporting the implementation of strategies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accelerating the transition to green economy systems and adopting green technology and sustainable practices.
It also urged parliaments to encourage their governments to address climate change through international cooperation, placing focus on capacity building and the exchange of technology and knowledge, especially between developed and developing countries. The document also emphasised the importance of parliamentary oversight and optimising the budgeting process to ensure alignment of national climate policies with international commitments, taking into account the capabilities of each country.
Furthermore, the document urged parliaments to play an active role in promoting innovative climate financing mechanisms for projects, including integrating green budgeting practices, and promoting sustainable investment and resource allocation. The document also called for the development of comprehensive and equitable climate strategies that take into account the needs of different communities, including the promotion of placing women and youth in leadership roles in climate action; as well as an enhanced role for parliaments in ensuring support is provided to developing countries in terms of adaptation, mitigation and loss and damage allocations.
Delegations participating in the Parliamentary Meeting at COP28 expressed their gratitude to the UAE and the FNC for hosting this meeting, at a time when the survival of our species depends on our ability to mobilise global efforts to reverse climate change.