COP28: GLOBE Hosts First Ever Parliamentary Pavilion

The Parliamentary Pavilon

Parliamentarians have shown how valuable they are in addressing the climate crisis. From the first legally binding Climate Change Act enacted in the UK in 2008 to recent efforts in South Africa to enact a Climate Change Act, Members of Parliament have shown that they play a crucial role in the development and implementation of their country’s climate objectives through enacting legislation, monitoring their impact, ratifying international climate change treaties, appropriating funds for climate action, and holding their governments to account.

Rt. Hon. Chris Skidmore

These roles have become even more critical to achieving success in the fight against climate change given criticisms that the Conference of Parties (COPs) have become an ineffective annual ritual where people, especially global leaders, go to make bogus commitments they do not intend to keep. It therefore behoves on Parliamentarians to play the crucial role of ensuring that commitments made at COPs are implemented by their governments.

In recognition of this, the first ever Parliamentary Pavilion is being hosted at the ongoing COP28 being held in Expo City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Celia Xakriaba MP

Malini Mehra, Chief Executive of GLOBE International, which initiated the Parliamentary Pavilion, said “GLOBE has brought parliamentarians together at virtually every climate COP, but this year is historic. For the first time, we have a designated hub for the global parliamentary constituency over the entire two weeks. This is a game changer for both the visibility and impact of members of parliament at COPs. We are pleased to have brought together the world’s leading parliamentary organisations and networks in this manner. The response has been hugely encouraging.”

In affirmation, Director of Communications for the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU), Thomas Fitzsimons said that this historic move puts into motion the process of placing Parliaments at the center of the COP process. Speaking at an IPU event hosted at the COP28 Parliamentary Pavilion themed “Parliaments for the Planet”, he said “At IPU we believe that with climate change and with the COPs, that parliaments should take center stage when it comes to accelerating action on climate change, bringing in those different voices from your constituents and parliamentarians, and to share the solutions that you have, working across borders. This Pavilion is a testament to that.” This is something to be celebrated he added.

Hosting high-powered events and rallying together parliamentarians from all cardinals of the planet including the African parliamentary caucus, the Latin America and Caribbean Caucus, and the European parliamentary caucus to discuss issues of sustainable energy, food systems, health, trade, finance, just transitions and gender equality among others, the Parliamentary Pavilion has not disappointed in its mandate of delivering a platform for parliamentarians to interact among themselves, share knowledge and ideas that can be adapted and replicated in their various countries.

This historic gathering of Parliamentarians at the COP is inspiring as it promises to help deliver tangible actions from COP28 and sets the stage for future outcomes in successive COPs.

Expressing her happiness at being able to engage with MPs from all over the world at the parliamentary pavilion, Hon. Senator Merlynn Abello-Alfonso, Chairwoman of the committee on Climate Change and Environmental issues, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), said the space made it easier for engagements and strengthening of networks between MPs. As a new MP and first timer at COP, she said COP28 was an eye opener and a learning curve which she intends to take home and drive for further action.

Hosted by the UNFCCC Focal Point of the Parliamentary Group, GLOBE International, the Parliamentary Pavilion has become a hub for networking and strategy formulation by parliamentarians across party lines and across geographic locations. It is expected that at the end of COP28, MPs would have formed enough alliances and shared ample knowledge with which to make this COP count for citizens all over the world.

For more information on the Parliamentary Pavilion and events, visit https://globelegislators.org/globe-activities-cop28