The Heinrich Böll Foundation spoke to Hon. Sisa James Njikelana, Deputy Chair of the Pan-African Parliament Committee on Rural Economy, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, and Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Energy in the South African parliament about the role of the Pan-African Parliament in shaping a continental position on climate change and ways through which members of the continental parliament are working to deliver their mandate in this regard. The interview took place at the Pan-African Parliament Capacity Building Workshop on Climate Change held in Magaliesburg, South Africa, July 2011.
What is the role of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) in shaping a continental response to climate change?
The role of the Pan-African Parliament derives from the core functions of a continental parliament whose main aim, in the context of “One Africa, One Voice,” is to advise the African Union on various issues that affect, or can build Africa towards a better life for all. Specifically on climate change, the Pan-African Parliament, as a body comprised of public representatives, has a role to play to ensure that: (i) the common position of Africa is adhered to by all those who subscribe to it, from Heads of State right down to the last government official; and (ii) it facilitates and, particularly, enhances public participation on issues regarding climate change including; generally, to ensure that the populace is involved in debates on climate change, and more specifically in the preparation of national positions prior to negotiations at the UNFCCC level.
In what particular ways do members of the PAP work to deliver their mandate in this regard?
Through efforts of members of the PAP public participation could happen through awareness campaigns which include a strong empowerment component. This includes ensuring empowerment of the public politically, developmentally and technically. Members of Parliament are supposed to also ensure that there are adequate accountability practices, for instance, regular briefings in their parliaments by the ministries responsible for negotiating at the Conferences of Parties. A critical role may also be facilitating national consensus, not only within the state apparatus, but between the state and civil society, as well as the business sector on issues relating to national strategies in response to climate change. Members of Parliament are also supposed to play a vital role in development of policy and legislative frameworks on climate change.
In what specific ways has the PAP engaged both internally, between its various committees, and externally with other regional parliamentary fora, in efforts to ramp up the influence of parliamentarians at the actual climate negotiations?
There is a network of African parliamentarians on climate change that operates in Africa and one of the things we did as the Pan-African Parliament at COP15 in Copenhagen was to pull all African parliamentarians into a session to discuss and emphasise the need for us to work together. Unfortunately, though there was agreement then, we have fallen behind in terms of implementing the agreed working relationship amongst parliamentarians on climate change issues. Since 2009 there have been two sets of resolutions dealing mainly with trying to ensure that issues of climate change are given national priority. The PAP has always been quite alert and sensitive to the fact that it should not just take resolutions about how it engages on climate change issues as an institution, but also how it should interact with both regional and national parliaments to ensure that they also engage with climate change issues. We have engaged with other parliaments, such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the European Parliament with whom we have had regular interaction to exchange views around our responses to climate change. Also, although not fully active yet, we are increasingly engaging with civil society, the UN agencies and similar bodies on climate issues.
How would do you characterise your relationship, if any, with the Africa Group within the UNFCCC negotiations process and the African Expert Group on Climate Change, among other notable architects of the continental position on climate change?
Generally, it’s fairly positive. But unfortunately, the Pan-African Parliament lags behind in terms of influencing the actual position and conducting oversight on that. This is because the PAP is currently only a consultative and advisory body with no legislative powers within the AU. That said, there is still some measure of interaction with the Africa Group because the Pan-African Parliament does get briefings at the summit level and other AU platforms. It is important to note, however, that we, as the Pan-African Parliament, have been and are still fully behind the common African position on climate change.
What are the PAP’s priority issues and demands from COP 17? and what mechanisms have been used to aggregate the various national parliamentary priorities to come up to a continental position on these demands?
I cannot speak with finality as there are ongoing consultations and workshops through which we are working towards a refined position of the PAP. However, it is safe to say at this stage the PAP is fully behind the common African position on climate change. In addition, while there is a sense that the COP 17 may not be able to achieve a comprehensive and legally binding agreement, the Durban talks should deliver a strong drive towards a second commitment under the Kyoto Protocol.
This interview was conducted by Tigere Chagutah, Sustainable Development Programme Manager.