Speaker Matibini challenges Parliamentarians to positively contribute to addressing climate change

Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia, Rt. Hon Mr Justice Dr Patrick Matibini, SC, BA, FCIArb, MP, has challenged Members of Parliament to equip themselves with necessary tools and skills in order for them to engage and contribute effectively to climate change. He said this when opening the workshop on promoting Parliamentary engagement on climate change on Monday, 22nd July, 2019 at Parliament Buildings in Lusaka.
Dr Matibini noted that Parliamentarians play a key role in setting a country’s wide development agenda, as well as in developing a sound environment and climate change laws. He therefore, urged Members of Parliament to have an understanding of the general conceptual framework of climate change.
Speaker Matibini further encouraged Parliamentarians to share the knowledge that they would gain from the workshop, with their constituents in order to raise awareness on the important issues of climate change.
Speaking at the same function Honorable Tsitsi Muzenda, Member of Parliament of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe and President of the Inter Parliamentary Union Committee on Sustainable Development finance and trade said Parliaments have a vital role to play in the implementation of international agendas, namely the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the Paris agreement on climate change.  Parliamentarians were urged to build national ownership, transform the international agenda into national laws, policies, and action plans and hold the government accountable. She reiterated the need to enhance cooperation and partnership in order to share information and best practice experiences on a regional and global scale.
The one day workshop for Parliamentarians was organized with the support of the United Nation Environment and Inter- Parliament Union.  In 2018, the IPU and UN Environment signed a Memorandum of Understanding, enabling the two organizations to work together closely, ensuring that parliaments have the background knowledge and the necessary practical tools at hand in order to tackle climate change and environmental degradation effectively.