PARLIAMENTARY LEADERS APPEAL FOR CLIMATE AGREEMENT IN COPENHAGEN

“Parliamentary leaders worldwide must exert their powers of leadership in pursuit of a global accord to preserve our common environment. The urgency of this appeal cannot be overstated”, says the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Dr. Theo-Ben Gurirab. Legislators must show a proactive attitude in Copenhagen, on the occasion of the United Nations Climate Change Conference.

At the invitation of the IPU and the Danish Folketing, parliamentarians will meet on 16 December 2009 on the premises of the Folketing. The event will be chaired by the IPU President, who is also the Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia, and will be attended by MPs from over 60 countries.

A political agreement is crucial. As Danish Minister for Climate and Energy Connie Hedegaard said in an interview in Copenhagen, “…failure is not just about climate. It will mean that the whole global democratic system is not able to deliver results in one of the defining challenges of our century”.

Members of parliaments will have a say in the ratification process at national level. In Copenhagen they will interact with government negotiators directly involved in reaching an agreement.

The President of the Maldives, Mr. Mohamed Nasheed, will also address the parliamentary event.

See programme and list of panellists on our dedicated webpage