Moses Magadza
The Second Meeting of the Southern Africa Regional Parliamentarians’ Forum on Climate Change ended last week in Namibia with calls for stronger climate action and accountability.
The meeting brought together chairpersons and members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committees on Environment, Climate Change, Agriculture, and Natural Resources from 12 Southern African countries from July 31 to August 2, 2024.
The theme was “Strengthening Oversights in Climate Action Accountability and Reporting.” Building upon the outcomes of the first meeting held in Gaborone, Botswana, in September 2023, it gathered parliamentarians to solidify their commitment to climate action through enhanced oversight, accountability, and legislative initiatives that align with national and international climate commitments.
Delegates discussed the devastating impacts of climate change currently plaguing Southern Africa, highlighted by severe food insecurity, water scarcity, and economic instability significantly exacerbated by the ongoing El Niño phenomenon. The urgent need for improved environmental management and sustainable resource allocation was a core theme of the discussions.
A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting called for collaboration to bolster legislative and oversight functions.
It called for strengthened cooperation between Parliament and government, emphasising the need for robust climate change legislation and the creation of parliamentary caucuses focused on climate change within national and regional legislatures.
Additionally, the meeting urges the designation of climate champions within parliamentary structures to ensure the prioritisation of climate initiatives.
The Southern African Parliamentarians Caucus on Climate Change was established as a pivotal step in fostering a network of climate champions committed to amplifying the region’s efforts in combating climate change, according to the meeting.
The communiqué also stresses the importance of inclusive stakeholder engagement and highlights key areas where parliamentarians should focus, including the tracking of climate action implementation, accessing climate finance, and fostering partnerships with various sectors to achieve sustainable development goals.
Among the notable recommendations, the meeting called for integrated climate change strategy planning within national parliaments, increased budget allocations for effective climate oversight and support for the development of country-specific monitoring frameworks and assessment tools.
“By adopting and signing this communiqué, we collectively underscore our strong commitment to climate action. We encourage all national parliaments to actively integrate climate change into their legislative agendas,” the communiqué states.
The meeting concluded with a unanimous call to action for greater political will, collaboration, and resource mobilisation to ensure that climate resilience becomes not only a priority but a sustained effort across the Southern African region and beyond.
The lawmakers reaffirmed their pledge to lead the way towards a sustainable and climate-resilient future for all.
The African Group of Negotiators Experts Support (AGNES) convened the meeting in partnership with the National Parliament of Namibia and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), with support from the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) and the Open Society Foundation (OSF).