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Nigeria, through a former member of the House of Representatives, Sam Onuigbo, was appointed as the President of the Global Legislator for Balanced Environment (GLOBE), leading Germany, Japan, Brazil, China, India and Mexico to tackle climate change.
Onuigbo, in an acceptance speech at the 35th anniversary of the international body at the House of Commons, Parliament of the United Kingdom, London, assured the international community that the African continent would continue to identify itself with various protocols aimed at ensuring climate change mitigation, environmental sustainability and energy transition.
Tracing the history of the legislators’ organisation, Onuigbo, who became the first Nigerian to lead the body, noted that GLOBE’s work had helped guide Members of Parliament in establishing guardrails for climate action worldwide.
“We must therefore commend them for thirty-five years of intensive efforts which have seen the organisation rise from convening legislators on a cross-party basis to adding a new role as the Focal Point of the UNFCCC’s Parliamentary Group, where it now also convenes parliamentary networks across the world to work collaboratively.
“Under this mandate, GLOBE hosted the first Parliamentary Pavilion at COP28 in Dubai, repeated the feat at COP29 in Baku, and is on course to do so again in COP31 in Antalya. These pavilions provide a point of convergence for legislators to share ideas, showcase their work, and gain further insights from experts across the many fields of climate action,” he said.
He commended Members of Parliament from the UK Parliament, Africa, the European Parliament, Asia, Central and Latin America and the Pacific for continuously playing important roles in advancing climate action, stressing that GLOBE’s efforts would mean nothing if they did not buy into the vision.
Recalling how Nigeria joined the world body, Onuigbo, who sponsored the country’s Climate Change Act in 2021 during the ninth National Assembly, praised Nigeria’s former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, “for his significant role in introducing GLOBE to Nigeria and backing its valuable presence across Africa”.
He added: “As we now enter a new era, it is my firm commitment that we will continue to build on the ideals and visions of this great organisation. We will build to support parliamentary efforts to progress climate action globally. This is a fire that has been handed to us by great men and women, and we will not let it dim or die.
“In line with the theme of today’s event, ‘Building Political Resilience and Public Consensus for Climate Action at a Time of Severe Domestic and Geopolitical Challenges’, and as the new President of GLOBE, I will work closely with the Board, staff and our partners to ensure that we begin addressing these critical challenges without delay.’
The new GLOBE International president outlined his plans for sustaining the leadership roles of the legislative body in climate action, stressing, “We will collaborate with various stakeholders to promote widespread green investments and climate initiatives globally. As we step into this new era, my main focus will be on specific issues to propel GLOBE forward.
These included targeted training programmes, strategic advocacy efforts and increased parliamentary involvement.
“Under my leadership, GLOBE aims to enhance opportunities for knowledge sharing, capacity development, and peer learning, while also strengthening collaborations with governments, development agencies, civil society, and the private sector.
“Our goal is to ensure that climate actions are not only discussed at international legislative forums but also translated into tangible initiatives and actions within communities worldwide.
“We will also establish essential frameworks to promote climate education across all educational levels. Since the future of climate action relies on the knowledge, awareness, and leadership of the next generation, it is crucial to integrate these elements into educational curricula to ensure proper information, enlightenment, and communication.’
Onuigbo maintained that if countries promoted climate literacy, environmental stewardship and a practical understanding of sustainability, the younger generation would be well-equipped with the skills and mindset needed to address future environmental challenges.
“Through GLOBE’s programmes and partnerships, we will advocate for the mainstreaming of climate education globally, helping to build a generation that is informed, innovative and prepared to lead the transition to a sustainable future.
“Thankfully, at GLOBE, we are already doing the latter through our Student-MP Climate Surgery, which I oversaw in Nigeria in 2022. We will expand this. We will also find ways to ensure and support the enhancement of parliamentarians’ ability to effect concrete impacts across the world by fostering peer exchanges and, where needed, capacity building.
“Climate change remains one of the defining challenges of our time, and effective responses require informed and empowered legislators who can champion robust policies, enact progressive legislation, exercise leadership and fairness in ensuring that adequate appropriations are made for climate change, provide effective oversight and mobilise public support.”
While noting that those were just a few of the initiatives his administration planned to pursue aggressively over the coming year, Onuigbo said additional steps would be communicated as he and his team continued to consult and build on the vision.
“And, as GLOBE rightly coined in 2023, ‘Parliaments Make COPs Count’; indeed, there will be no headway in climate action without parliaments. Therefore, we call on all legislators, development banks, governments, donor agencies, academics, the youth, etc., to rally round us and support parliamentary engagement. Without parliaments, we cannot achieve anything,” he noted.
