Africa remains highly exposed to climate change’s impacts, yet the continent only contributes to about 4 percent of greenhouse gases. It is worth noting that annually,, the continent loses around 10% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to climate adversities. It’s also worth noting that as Africa struggles with climate change and its impact, it has a role as a continent through each country’s parliaments, among other stakeholders. The parliament is responsible for scrutinizing government policies, providing financial accountability, and ensuring transparency in executive activities. The parliament To this end, the African Group of Negotiators Experts Support (AGNES), in collaboration with the National Parliament of Namibia, AUDA-NEPAD, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), and Open Society Foundation (OSF) is organizing the Second Southern Africa Parliamentarian Regional Meeting. This critical event, planned to take place from July 31 to August 2, 2024, in Windhoek, Namibia, seeks to enhance the ability of national parliaments to perform their supervisory role in climate policy and implementation. During the meeting, the central topic that will be discussed is the involvement of legislative bodies in the efficient governmental response to climate risks.

Why Parliamentary Oversight on Climate Action  is Critical

Parliamentary oversight is important in climate management particularly in Africa because climate change affects the balance in economic welfare and the wellbeing of the people. Parliaments are expected to monitor how the government administrates its policies and finances to combat climate change at the regional as well as at international levels.  In addition, national parliaments need to ensure proper internal resource mobilization and effective use of the large financial resources required for climate change prevention and mitigation as well as adaptation—financial accountability.

Who are we expecting?

  1. Chairs of Parliamentary Committees responsible for environment and climate change.
  2. Chairs of Parliamentary Committees responsible for agriculture.
  3. Parliamentary staff supporting the parliamentary committees on climate change matters
  4. UNFCCC National Focal Points and technical experts
  5. Resource Persons.

What we are looking to achieve?

  • Sensitize parliamentarians on the climate risks in the region (present and projected)
  • Raise awareness among Parliamentarians on the national and international commitments on climate change to which the countries have signed.
  • Update on the legislative framework on climate change in the region (regional, national, and sub-national levels) with a view to identifying the best practices.
  • Share experiences on the tools being used to oversight and track the progress of implementation of climate policies and climate action.
  • Discuss the key elements of Parliament’s oversight and progress-tracking tools in climate action accountability and reporting.

Key Discussions and Activities

The next regional meeting to be held in Windhoek shall feature a number of important debates and processes relating to the strengthening of parliamentary oversight for climate change. At the core of the schedule are those focused on exploring the diverse aspects of climate change in Africa and the functions of parliaments in combating them.

One session will explain how climate change affects the Southern Africa region focusing on the current impacts, projections and it’s relation to climate policy. Namibia is expected to showcase it’s processes towards oversight on the executive in addition to exhibiting some of its climate action initiatives. It is anticipated that other countries in the region can learn from these case studies while also sharing their experiences.

There will also be a session on parliamentary tools in oversight and budget appropriation. Priorities for discussions will include ways in which the parliamentarians can apply tools to improve transparency and accountability in climate finance and policies. Some country experiences and strategies will be provided by parliamentarians from Comoros, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe. One of the goals of the meetings will be elaborate descriptions of monitoring tools facilitating parliamentary activities as well as guaranteeing effective tracking of climate actions. Thus, these sessions are not only informative but also strategic as they help parliamentarians understand how they can best govern climate change. By creating a culture of knowledge sharing and cooperation at the meeting, the participants are driven to be more proactive in their oversight responsibilities.

Expected Outcomes

The outcomes of the meeting include; broader awareness among Parliamentarians on the climate risks and global response to climate change and climate action, the status of the regional and national legislation in the region and best practices, and key elements of oversight and progress tracking tools.

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