Dubai, December 6, 2023 - The Congressional delegation to the COP - consisting of Senator Abello-Alfonso, Chair of the Special Committee on Climate Change and Environmental Issues, Floor Leader Quincy Lawrence, Senator Fabian S. Nimea, and Attorney Charlotte Ruzzica-de La Chaussée - concluded its first week at the COP conference by attending the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in Dubai's Expo City.
This parliamentary meeting, organised for the first time at the COP venue, saw parliamentarians from around the world gather in the COP Green Zone to engage in a collaborative dialogue on key climate issues and the important role of parliamentarians in tackling the climate crisis.
Members of Parliaments from 78 countries and from regional and intergovernmental organizations, seized this opportunity to immerse themselves in discussions surrounding the progress made since the Paris Agreement. The agenda encompassed empowering parliamentarians to exercise oversight and hold governments accountable for climate commitments, learning about the challenges faced by vulnerable communities, hearing voices of women and young parliamentarians, discussing the operationalisation of the loss and damage fund at the opening of COP and presenting the IPU campaign "My Parliament! My Planet! Our Future!" (See https://youtu.be/OiLwJJpJwQ4).
The Federated States of Micronesia Congress members actively contributed to the meeting, sharing insights into the climate-related struggles faced by small island developing states (SIDS). Testimonies underscored the hardships brought about by climate change in these island nations, particularly the experiences of Tonga and Tuvalu.
In a significant move, members fromisland states led by the FSM members, collaborated to emphasize the term "small island developing state" in the final outcome document adopted by the assembly of parliamentarians (The document isavailable here: https://www.ipu.org/sites/default/files/Final%20Outcome%20Document-%20Parliamentary%20Meeting%20COP28-e.pdf). This concerted effort aimed to secure recognition for the unique circumstances of ourisland nations, positioning usas vulnerable communities most severely impacted by climate change.
The FSM Congress Floor Leader Lawrence took the stand, emphasizing the critical need for the FSM people to access funding for climate resilience. The Floor Leader also underscored the importance of the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund, a key development at the outset of COP, particularly beneficial for islands grappling with climate-induced challenges.
As the FSM Congress actively engages in global climate discourse, the senators’ presence at the IPU meeting in the margin of the COP amplifies the voices of the people of the Federated States of Micronesia, striving for financial support and effective climate action on an international scale.
For more information: https://www.ipu.org/news/press-releases/2023-12/cop28-parliaments-take-centre-stage-accelerate-climate-action
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