The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) and the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) have completed a capacity building workshop for Pan-African Parliamentarians on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) Implementation Index and Monitoring and Tracking Tools for Africa.
The training sought to build and strengthen the capacity of Parliamentarians, policymakers and representatives of regional bodies on the use of the developed NDC Implementation Index and Monitoring and Tracking Tools. The NDCs spell out the actions that countries intend to take to address climate change – both in terms of adaptation and mitigation. Originally submitted as Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), these have become binding Nationally Determined Contributions once a country ratifies the Paris Agreement.
Hon. Didier Molisho, Chair of the session and member of the PAP Permanent Committee on Rural Economy, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment hailed the partnership with PACJA, which has seen efforts to catalyse parliamentarians’ engagement in climate discourse.
“As the participation of parliamentarians in national and international climate change conversations becomes apparent, the importance of the collaboration with PACJA becomes more essential, especially in influencing integration of climate change responses in the post-Covid-19 economic reconstruction processes in Africa. This capacity building exercise enables African Parliamentarians to understand the NDC index, the tools and analysis of the political economy of climate governance in Africa, with a view of generating a critical mass of African policymakers who can unpack the resource for broader dissemination and interaction,” said Hon. Molisho.
Dr. Mithika Mwenda, Executive Director for PACJA said that since the ratification of NDCs, reporting on the status of implementation especially on the African continent has been insufficient. He attributed this aspect to many factors including lack of technical capacity and financial resources to implement the required activities.
“Progress on the Paris Agreement depends on the successful implementation of the national climate pledges submitted by 189 countries in the run-up to and since COP-21 – dubbed NDCs. In July 2019, PACJA commissioned a study to develop an NDC Implementation Index and supporting Data Collection Tools to monitor the implementation of NDCs in Africa in compliance with the Paris Agreement,” said Dr. Mwenda.
He added: “The study included an understanding of the Political Economy of African countries regarding NDCs and climate change governance; stakeholder analysis of actors; institutions involved in the development and implementation of the NDCs; climate governance; mapping of suitable tools; methods and indicators that exist as well as defining and delineating the scope of NDCs implementation index including measures that will be used and dimensions that will be covered. The NDCs Implementation Index and Tracking Tools for Africa Report is now finalized and is being tested as part of accountability mechanisms that will be used to track the implementation by countries in Africa”
The capacity building training was conducted by experts through presentations as well as through group work and plenary discussions. Participants were provided trained to use the tools to gauge progress in preparedness and implementation of NDCs in their respective countries. Members of Parliament were also briefed on how to develop NDC Monitoring and Tracking Tools and capture indicators for political economy with respect to climate governance.
The collaboration between the PAP and PACJA has resulted in the establishment of the African Climate Legislative Initiative (ACLI). The platform provides a structured framework for coordination between PACJA and PAP in joint planning for activities related to legislative work, which has enhanced interactions between PAP members and other regional legislative assemblies participating in climate change processes.
