The ECOWAS Parliament has attributed severe droughts, deforestation, desertification, flooding, coastal erosion, disease outbreaks, famine and food shortages experienced by most countries in the subregion to the effect of climate change.
The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Rt. Honourable Dr. Sidie Mohamed Tunis disclosed this at the ongoing 144th International Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Nusa Dua, Indonesia.
According to him, “the ECOWAS Commission expects Members of Parliament to be proactive and support the climate change programme through sensitization campaigns on the use of renewable energy, alternative sources of charcoal and wood consumption across the region and the formulation of laws to mitigate the negative effect of climate change”.
“To redress these challenges, the ECOWAS Commission, with the full participation of the ECOWAS Parliament, and other stakeholders, has drawn-up a strategic programme for reducing vulnerability to climate change in West Africa”, he said.
He further said, “It is worth mentioning that, because treaty negotiations are an executive action, Members of Parliament are generally not involved. Upon conclusion of such negotiations, it is imperative that Members should be given adequate briefing on the objectives, background, content and expected outcomes of such agreements.
“This would foster their understanding and possible buy-in into the agreements. It would also ease ratification by the various Parliaments.
“One of the Standing Committees at the ECOWAS Parliament is the Committee on Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources.
“To promote synergy, this Committee works closely with the Department of Agriculture, and Environment, of the ECOWAS Commission on all policy and programme implementation issues on the Environment and Climate Change.
“I wish to recall some major accomplishments through the organisation of delocalised Committee meetings on climate change.
“Some of the recommendationsof these meetings such as ensuring that substantial budgetary allocations are made and climate change issues mainstreamed in national budgets of member states were adopted”he said.
The Speaker however, called on “all Members of parliaments across the world to come together to mobilize the necessary actions to combat this climate menace. We need to unite.
“Together, we are stronger and it is only when we are together that we shall succeed” he said.
The theme of the 144th International Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly is “Getting to Zero: Mobilizing Parliaments to Act on Climate Change”.
