4 December 2023 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Outcome statement parliamentary accountability summit at cop28
Global Renewables Hub, Blue Zone
As parliamentarians convened at COP28, we stand united in our commitment to ensuring climate change accountability and aligning our actions with the imperative goals of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, implementing the Sendai Framework and reinforcing climate finance; cognizant of the social dimensions and impacts of climate change on human rights; and recognizing the urgency of these tasks, we emphasise the following key outcomes:
1.5 Alignment Commitment:
We Reaffirm our unwavering commitment to achieving the 1.5°C temperature limit set by the Paris Agreement. Acknowledging the sobering findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Climate Vulnerable Forum’s Traffic Light Assessment Report, we recognize the critical need for immediate and robust actions to stay on track.
We Echo the calls for all countries, especially major emitting countries to reassess and recalibrate their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) promptly, to achieve alignment with the ambitious 1.5°C Celsius target by the year 2025 to ensure contribution to the shared responsibility of mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change. We are dedicated to fostering a legislative environment that actively harnesses the potential of renewable energy as a pivotal catalyst for achieving our climate commitments. We strive towards creating regulatory frameworks that not only recognizes but actively promotes the integration of renewable energy sources into our energy landscape towards tripling renewable energy by 2030.
Disaster Risk Reduction:
We Acknowledge the rising frequency and severity of climate-related disasters and therefore emphasise the crucial role of integrating disaster risk reduction into parliamentary agendas. Our commitment lies in strengthening legislative frameworks that prioritise risk reduction, resilience, response, and recovery, with a strong dedication to protecting our communities from the growing impacts of climate-induced disasters.
We Advocate for developing a proactive approach to prevention and preparedness, emphasising the establishment of strong mechanisms for pre- and post-disaster risk assessments and transparent public reporting – anchored in a comprehensive, whole-of-society strategy which shifts focus from reactive response to proactive risk management mitigation. We commit to heighten our political determination to ensure that our collective actions are aimed at effectively confronting the magnitude of the climate emergency.
Scaling Up Climate Finance:
We Recognise the existence of a persistent gap in climate finance, and we urge for the scaling up of adequate climate finance using all available sources, including local, national, transnational, public, private and alternative sources, to fund climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.
We Commit to advocating for enhanced collaboration between governments including legislatures to secure the necessary funding to implement effective climate adaptation and mitigation measures.
We Acknowledge that countries at the forefront of the climate emergency, often bear the brunt of constant climate incidents that diminish their capacity to allocate already scarce resources to critical economic and development strategies. We therefore call on our counterparts in developed countries to ensure that they fulfil their financial commitments and scale up their contributions to meet the growing needs of developing nations in the face of climate change.
We Urge for funding mechanisms to be responsive to the needs of the most vulnerable developing countries, and sensitive to not increasing indebtedness through an increased emphasis on grant-based funding for countries most in need.
Parliamentary Accountability Mechanisms:
We recognize the unique role of parliaments in holding governments accountable for their climate commitments. We commit to utilising parliamentary tools such as questions, statements, and oversight to monitor and assess the implementation of climate policies, ensuring transparency and accountability at both national and international levels. We therefore urge parliaments and parliamentarians around the world to support efforts to ensure accountability by:
- Enacting laws that institutionalize climate commitments, incentivizing investment for sustainable practices and technologies, and by conducting oversight to assess and review the government’s progress in meeting our climate commitments.
- Ensuring adequate funds are allocated for climate-related initiatives and monitoring their expenditure in accordance with realising the priorities of the NDCs and disaster risk reduction goals. This includes scrutinising the budget to confirm that climate-related expenditures are in line with the commitments made in the NDCs.
- Facilitating public participation in the climate policy process to ensure broader input, making the implementation of NDCs and other climate goals more transparent and accountable, through public consultations, hearings, and mechanisms for citizens to provide feedback on climate policies.
- Establishing mechanisms for monitoring and reporting on progress in implementing climate goals and strengthening the oversight role of parliamentary committees on climate change to provide focused attention to implementation by conducting hearings, gathering expert opinions, and producing reports on the government’s progress in meeting climate targets.
- Building the capacity of parliamentarians and parliamentary staff on climate-related issues to enable Parliaments to better understand the complexities of our climate goals, assess technical reports, and engage effectively in debates related to climate policy.
- Fostering platforms such as this Accountability Summit at various international forums to facilitate Parliamentarians engagement to share experiences and best practices in ensuring climate change accountability.
As parliamentarians, we leave COP28 with a renewed sense of purpose and determination. We carry forth these commitments to our respective legislatures, advocating for bold and effective climate policies that safeguard our planet for current and future generations.
Issued by Parliamentarians at the Parliamentary Accountability Summit at COP28 in Dubai, UAE on 4 December 2023.
