In recent years, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has been mobilizing parliaments and calling for action on climate change and risk reduction. Since 2009, the Union has organized parliamentary meetings at Conferences of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to increase parliamentary contributions to global negotiations.
In March 2018, UN Environment and the Inter-Parliamentary Union partnered to enhance the capacity of lawmakers and parliamentarians on matters relating to climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals. Small Caribbean countries, and in particular the Small Island Developing States of the region, face major climate change-related challenges. The parliaments of these countries have a critical role to play and need to collaborate to build more effective and coordinated responses to their common concerns.
In 2016, the Union adopted a Parliamentary Action Plan on climate change, which offers critical recommendations on how to reduce global greenhouse emissions and mitigate the worst effects of climate change.
At a recent meeting held in November 2018 in the Caribbean region, parliamentarians were informed of recent developments in the international climate change regime and gained a better understanding of what is being done in the region at parliamentary level to combat climate change and face natural disasters. The meeting brought forth a regional network of parliamentarians to coordinate efforts to address climate change by adopting the Paramaribo Declaration on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction which recognized the negative impact of climate change on the coastal areas of the region, and urging parliaments to take a more active role in working with executives on climate action.
For more information, please contact: Robert.Ondhowe I Maria.Manguiat
