Parliaments have role in addressing climate change - Wetang'ula

National Assembly Speaker  Moses Wetang’ula has emphasized the critical role played by Parliaments in dealing with climate change.

Wetang'ula pointed out that climate–related shocks are becoming more frequent and severe hence hindering poverty eradication in the continent.

Speaking during a Commonwealth Speakers forum in Uganda, Wetang'ula said climate change is real and must be confronted.

“Commonwealth countries, especially those in the global south, are the most vulnerable to the vagaries of climate change and environment degradation despite contributing the least,'' said Wetang’ula.

Wetang'ula is accompanied by his Senate counterpart Amason Jeffa Kingi and top parliamentary officials.

This year’s 𝐂𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐂 convention was graced by the President of the Republic of Uganda Yoweri Museveni and is being hosted by the Parliament of Uganda under the stewardship of Speaker Anita Among.

Speaker Wetang’ula emphasised that Africa was unfairly being impacted more than other regions by climate change despite the continent’s contribution of less than 4 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions.

Wetang’ula further raised concerns that African countries have to spend more than their fair share for adaptation efforts, currently estimated at 10 per cent of GDP annually, according to the African Development Bank.

While addressing over 32 speakers from the Commonwealth Member states, Wetang'ula implored on the critical role of Parliaments.

He said that as representatives of the people, Parliaments have a crucial role in providing leadership in confronting these global challenges in setting the policy direction.

He said this role will then translate outcomes of global processes to domestic legislation, create awareness and a role in pushing the executive arms of governments to act responsibly.

Wetangula called upon Commonwealth parliaments to continuously build capacity for legislators on the issue of tackling climate change menace and provide adequate budgets.

He said parliaments should also offer lawmakers opportunities on the global stage to interact and share knowledge on how to further mitigate the challenge geared towards saving Mother Nature.

President Museveni said that the conference was impactful to the globe as it brought together leaders of Parliaments with a combined total population of 2.4 Billion people in whom if the right policies are effected the world will be a better place to live in.

He advocated for a symbiotic existence among the African states with their colonial masters saying that only good values should be emulated to nature's socio-economic development in the continent.

While highlighting key objectives of the conference, Speaker Among said that the conference is geared towards maintaining, fostering and encouraging fairness on the part of Speakers and presiding officers of Parliaments.

Speaker Among called upon countries to harmonise legislation on climate change to be able to pull resources in the form of ideas and capacity to mitigate the diverse effects in the region and beyond.

The CSPOC was established in 1969 and operates on a two-year cycle where it brings together the Speakers and presiding officers of the national Parliaments of the independent sovereign states of the Commonwealth.

The two Speakers are accompanied by the Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, Ms Serah Kioko and the Deputy Clerk of the Senate, Mr Mohammed Ali.