9 June 2014: Participants at the Second World Summit of Legislators, organized by the Global Legislators Organisation (GLOBE), agreed on a Legislators Resolution encouraging national governments and the UN to take seven main actions, with a focus on strengthening climate change mitigation. The Summit took place on 6-8 June 2014, in Mexico City, Mexico, hosted by the Mexican Congress.

Over three days, legislators discussed approaches to national legislation on adaptation, forests, mitigation and natural capital accounting. The Summit heard reports from: the GLOBE Climate Legislation Initiative (GCLI), the GLOBE Natural Capital Initiative (GNCI) and the GLOBE Forest Legislation Initiative (GFLI), which GLOBE established following the first World Summit of Legislators in 2012.

In a statement to the Summit, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said national legislation is an “indispensable catalyst” for spurring meaningful action and building momentum for an international climate agreement in 2015. Noting the severe and widespread effects of climate change, Ban asked legislators to reach across party lines and empower their governments to bring ambitious announcements to his Climate Summit in September 2014.

Participants highlighted the importance of involving Parliaments in national climate and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) plans, and underscored the role of renewable energy in addressing climate change. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) cited efforts to reform its Forest Code to ensure fair sharing of REDD benefits. Bangladesh said climate change legislation should address climate change, disaster risk reduction (DRR) and sustainable development.

The Resolution urges seven actions by national governments and the UN, namely: recognize the need for a new generation of sustainable development agreements that reinforce national legislation as the means for fulfilling agreed commitments and contributions; place legislators at the center of political processes leading to commitments on climate and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); capitalize on support from international financial institutions (IFIs) for legislative work on developing climate change legislation; strengthen environmental projects in collaboration with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP); encourage the establishment of mechanisms to aid African countries and others in combatting climate change; support GLOBE and parliamentary funding mechanisms; and recognize the importance of accounting for natural capital in policy decisions.

Maria Isabel Ortiz, GLOBE Mexico, presented the Resolution, recognizing the contributions of various regions to the final outcome. Ortiz said Asia helped incorporate DRR and adaptation; Europe focused on protocols for staying below 2°C; the Americas advocated including water issues; and Africa called for legislators’ involvement in drafting the 2015 climate agreement and for countries to establish GLOBE chapters.

GLOBE released the second edition of its review of natural capital legislation at the Summit. The study reviews lessons learned from 21 countries that have begun to integrate natural capital accounting into their national legal and policy frameworks.

The Summit was attended by over 400 legislators from more than 80 countries. Representatives from UN agencies, including UNEP, the World Bank, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) also attended. [GLOBE Legislators Resolution] [Cámara de Diputados Press Release (Spanish)] [GLOBE International Press Release, 21 May 2014] [GEF Press Release] [Canal del Congreso Press Release (Spanish)] [GLOBE International Press Release, 16 May 2014] [UNSG Statement] [IISD RS Sources]