Legislators from over 50 countries convened for the 2nd GLOBE Climate Legislation Summit. During the two-day meeting, held first in the US Senate and then at the World Bank, the Global Legislators Organisation released the most comprehensive analysis to date of the reach and depth of national climate changes laws in 66 of the world’s countries.
The Study, the 4th GLOBE Climate Legislation Study, covers countries responsible for 88% of global carbon emissions. It describes the rapid advance of national laws that could help create the basis for a new international climate agreement in Paris in 2015. It also reveals that much of the substantive progress on legislative activity on climate change in 2013 took place in emerging economies.
During the meeting, which was addressed by World Bank Group President, Jim Yong Kim, GLOBE launched the Partnership for Climate Legislation. It is envisaged that this new initiative, supported by the United Nations and the World Bank Group, will help national legislators to develop and implement climate change laws. It will work across the 66 nations covered by the new legislation study by sharing best legislative practice, and provide detailed policy, analytical and legal capacity to cross party groups of legislators as they develop their own laws.
Addressing the meeting at the US Senate, World Bank Group Vice-President and Special Envoy Rachel Kyte said: “2014 is the year we need to step up climate action. Legislators have a critical role to play in raising political ambition and ensuring that effective laws and regulations support low carbon and resilient development. For this reason, we’re pleased to support the new Partnership for Climate Legislation”.
