UAE: Parliamentary meeting explores strategies for Paris Agreement oversight after COP28

They said that the organisation of the first-ever international parliamentary meeting at COP28 Green Zone demonstrates the UAE's commitment to prioritising participatory work.

The Parliamentary Meeting was organised jointly by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Federal National Council of the United Arab Emirates.

At a session titled "Setting the scene: scientific insights, global progress and the call for enhanced ambition'', moderated by Cedric Frolick, Member of the National Assembly, South Africa, the panellists provided a comprehensive overview of the current climate landscape, scientific advancements and progress made in implementing the Paris Agreement. Panellists Jim Skea, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Samuelu Penitala Teo, Speaker of Parliament, Tuvalu and Winner of the 2023 Cremer-Passy Prize and Xiye Bastida, Indigenous climate activist and Co-Founder, Re-Earth Initiative, presented the latest scientific findings, showcasing the gravity of the climate crisis.

They noted that it is against this backdrop that the outcomes of the Global Stocktake exercise will be discussed to demonstrate the state of collective progress towards the Paris Agreement goals, and to emphasise the importance of urgent and enhanced ambition. It will offer a deeper understanding of the evolving climate context, foster momentum for transformative action and inspire mid-course corrections to align efforts with the Paris Agreement goals. The aim is to empower and motivate parliamentarians to exercise oversight and hold governments accountable for climate commitments.

The participating parliamentary speakers shared lessons learned from the Global Stocktake and highlighted national efforts to advance climate action to advance progress on achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement going forward.

Speaking during a session titled "Beyond mitigation and adaptation: Operationalisng Loss and Damage'', panelists Elena Manaenkova, Deputy Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organisation, Karim Darwish, Member of the House of Representatives, Egypt, Taniela Fusimalohi, Member of the Legislative Assembly, Tonga, and Mohamed Ali, Member of the Shura Council, Bahrain, acknowledged that many severe climate impacts are and will continue to occur irrespective of national, regional and global mitigation and adaptation efforts.

Moderator by Dionysia-Theodora Avgerinopoulou, Member of Parliament, Greece, the session highlighted the urgency of operationalising the Loss and Damage Mechanism for countries facing irreparable impacts of climate change. Participants shared experiences in coping with irreversible losses from climate Impacts.

Moderator by Amanda Ellis, Senior Director, Global Partnerships and Networks, the 'Parliamentary oversight of the Paris Agreement implementation post-COP28'' session convened parliamentary leaders and experts to deliberate on the critical role of parliamentary oversight in driving effective implementation of the Paris Agreement and commitments beyond COP28.

Panelists Juan Carlos Villalonga, President of GLOBE International, Gavin McCormick, Co-founder, WattTime and Climate TRACE, Waven William, President of the IPU Standing Committee on Sustainable Development and Member of the National Assembly, Seychelles, explored strategies to strengthen parliamentary engagement, legislative frameworks and transparency, while highlighting the crucial role and importance of parliaments in amplifying the voices of all citizens, ensuring their inclusion in climate change discussions and international negotiations.

By discussing the crucial oversight role of parliaments, the panel aimed to chart a path towards accelerated climate action, ensuring the successful realisation of the Paris Agreement goals in a post-COP28 landscape. (ANI/WAM)