The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Benjamin Okezie Kalu has called for urgent capacity building for African parliamentarians and a dedicated budget allocation for climate change across the Global South.
Mr Kalu made the call while speaking at the GLOBE Legislators Parliamentary Reception during the inauguration of its new President, Sam Onuigbo from Nigeria at the House of Commons, London on Thursday.
Founded in 1989, GLOBE (Global Legislators Organisation for a Balanced Environment) is an international association of national parliamentarians from over 80 countries with the goal of finding common legislative responses to key challenges in the implementation of sustainable development and a balanced environment.
Mr. Kalu as a member who also contributed immensely to GLOBE issues in “the Nigeria’s 9th Assembly said that Nigeria’s climate conversation has been strengthened with a Climate Change Act facilitated by sustained global advocacy and legislative commitment.”
He argued that stronger parliamentary capacity and ring-fenced budget lines are critical to translate climate laws into real adaptation and mitigation results for communities.
The Deputy Speaker also celebrated the new GLOBE President who sponsored Nigeria’s landmark Climate Change Act, 2021, describing him as a “round peg for a round hole for the assignment.”
While commending the passage of the Act and the creation of the House Committee on Climate Change, Mr Kalu however warned that laws alone won’t impact citizens without proper understanding.
He charged African parliaments to make it a duty of insisting on the climate change component of their country’s budget to ensure proper implementation.
He said: “Through your work, the issue of climate change was put on the front burner. That is why I celebrate my brother and friend who has been given this assignment for the organisation. This is a round peg for a round hole. You have done the right thing by choosing him because he has made our nation know about climate change.
“Today, we have climate change Act in our country. Before then, the conversation around climate change was weak but today the parliament has formed a committee known as Climate Change committee of the House of Representatives. Thanks to the work you are doing globally.
“But beyond having this committee, it is important to call for capacity building across the global south, mainly African countries to understand more of what climate change entails. Whether it is adaptation, mitigation, there is still a still a gap there. The law can be there and not affecting the lives of the people because the interpretation is not right.
“So, I encourage you to look into that space because building more capacity around the parliamentarians across Africa is important. In my country, we have taken some steps further.
“The new President has a role now to play in making sure there is more education about what this entails.”
“I look forward to a time in countries in Africa where we will as parliamentarians ask where is the climate change component of budget. A certain percentage must be dedicated to it” Mr Kalu added
