The Africa Group of Negotiators Experts Support (AGNES) hosted a side event during African Climate Week, highlighting the imperative need to prioritize national climate change legislation.

This critical issue was underscored by Dr. George Wamukoya, who emphasized the role of the National Assembly in climate action.

Dr. George Wamukoya articulated that effective climate legislation and policies require the active engagement of parliamentarians due to their pivotal role.

“By involving parliamentarians, we gain insight into the vulnerabilities faced by their constituencies, facilitating targeted climate actions that ultimately benefit local communities,” Wamukoya added.

In light of commitments to mitigate the impacts of anthropogenic activities, National Determined Contributions (NDCs) were developed as a response to the crisis.

Regrettably, there have been delays in implementing these NDCs, primarily attributed to inadequate and sometimes absent budget allocations for their execution.

According to Professor Abubakar O. Sulaiman, the Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), it is imperative for climate change legislation to foster inclusive growth and sustainable development in West Africa.

Sulaiman stressed that Parliaments must take a more active role in enacting climate change legislation and underscored the significance of passing climate acts to access global climate funds.

“Despite Africa’s progress in climate negotiations, West African countries must expedite climate change legislation.”

Furthermore, Sulaiman emphasized the need for greater parliamentary engagement to enhance legislators’ understanding of climate change science, policies, and actions, ultimately promoting good governance and climate justice.

The push for parliamentarians’ involvement is crucial, as their participation fosters a deeper understanding of climate change negotiations and builds the capacity needed to effectively address climate change crises.