VIEW FROM THE COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES
REFLECTING ON COMMONWEALTH RESPONSES TO CLIMATE CHANGE FOLLOWING COP27 IN EGYPT A View from Uganda Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) Chairperson, Hon. Laura Kanushu, MP, Parliament of Uganda Introduction Climate change poses a significant threat to global prosperity and sustainable development. The climate emergency now affects all regions of the globe and rapidly continues to escalate. Recent reports by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) indicate that the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, will be unattainable without immediate reductions in greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions. Developing countries, particularly in Africa, need effective tools and frameworks to address and influence the climate change agenda at both the national and global level now more than ever. In this regard, Members of Parliament are better placed to promote the views of the citizens during international negotiations and ensuring mitigation responses both at the national and constituency level.1 This, therefore, places Parliaments at the center of climate change response. Parliaments have the opportunity to scrutinise government in national and international climate change related matters and can hold them to account for their actions.2 The vital role that accountability mechanisms in national environmental legislation, formulated to address trans-boundary environmental challenges, is widely acknowledged. For instance, UNEP notes that to achieve sustainable development objectives through proper environmental governance requires that decision makers are held accountable for actions contrary to the set objectives.3
“Therefore, Parliaments through their legislative, representation and oversight roles can hold governments accountable for their actions or lack thereof towards climate change related matters. Parliaments should provide oversight to ensure that laws passed are implemented and the citizens actively involved in the decision-making process.” 296 | The Parliamentarian | 2022: Issue Four | 100 years of publishing
Role of Commonwealth Parliaments in the Climate Change Response The recent UN’s 27th annual Conference of the Parties (COP27) summit theme was ‘implementation’. It aimed to shift the focus from negotiations and planning to action on the ground, where it is most needed. It wanted to ramp up adaptation to climate change impacts, in parallel with emission reductions. It also hoped to highlight both Africa’s need for immediate climate action and its role in facilitating and mobilising action at scale. So what is the role of Commonwealth Parliaments? Putting in place a legal framework is the first step towards enabling the establishment of lasting climate change goals which is an important factor in implementing global agreements like the Paris Agreement. National laws and international agreements are mutually reinforcing. For example, for international laws on climate change such as the Paris Agreement to be legally enforceable, they must be domesticated in the national legislation, have appropriate budget allocations and a strong oversight of government conduct. An appropriate legal framework not only aids the domestication of these agreements, but also provides a basis for comparability across countries. It is critical for any country to establish climate change framework laws that require accountability for the implementation of the core responsibilities within the laws to avoid a mismatch between the intentions and actions.4 Furthermore, post-legislative scrutiny by Parliaments is an effective process for assessing the effectiveness of legislation.5 Therefore, Parliaments through their legislative, representation and oversight roles can hold governments accountable for their actions or lack thereof towards climate change related matters. Parliaments should provide oversight to ensure that laws passed are implemented and the citizens actively involved in the decision-making process. Addressing climate change is a complex and challenging task, but Parliaments and Parliamentarians are well-positioned to take action and to deliver much-needed, long-term results. Parliamentarians have a good platform to undertake the above mandates and to support inclusive, sustainable development that addresses climate change through their:6