Africa-Press – Liberia. It was a show of unanimity on Capitol Hill when several members of the House of Representatives pledged their commitment to work with civil society organizations (CSOs) in finding solutions to addressing the crippling effects of climate change.
The lawmakers, led by the Chairman of the House’s Committee on Rules, Order and Administration, Rep. Johnson Gwaikolo made the commitment during an interactive dialogue conducted by the African Youth Peer Review Committee (AYPRC) recently in Monrovia.
Speaking at the opening of the dialogue, the national coordinator of AYPRC, Jeddlee Kinnii said a group of nationally elected officials in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific in a united voice, called on other parliamentarians to join them in taking decisive action on a global transition away from coal, oil and gas – a source of 80% of carbon dioxide emissions since the industrial.
The global movement ‘Parliamentarians’ revolution Call for a Fossil Fuel Free Future intends to bring together nationally-elected leaders from every continent following the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow in a joint demand for new international commitments and treaties, complementing the Paris Agreement, to address the urgency of a swift and just transition away from fossil fuel energy.
Owing to this, Kinnii said, AYPRC is collaborating with its partners, including the Government of Liberia to ensure in-country implementation of the Parliamentarians Call for a Fossil Free Future through engagement for national policy action in Liberia.
The engagement, he noted, sets the pace for the Liberian legislators to be a part of the new international commitments and treaties, complementing the Paris Agreement to address the urgency of a swift and just transition away from fossil fuel energy.
Meanwhile, participants shared relevant information such as the need to end new expansion of oil, gas and coal production in line with the best available science as outlined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and United Nations Environment Program.
Leading youth climate activist, Ezekiel Nyanfor, the Executive Director of the Liberian Youth for Climate Actions (LYCA), called on the Government of Liberia to stop issuing licenses for oil exploration in Liberian waters.
He called on the legislators to increase the budget of Liberia’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to adequately lead the drive in protecting the environment and combatting the menacing effects of climate change.
Rep. Gwaikolo said owing to the crippling effects of climate change across the world with Liberia being of no exception, it was prudent to form a united front in combating the menace.
Rep. Rustnyn Suacoco Dennis of Montserrado County District #4 said, while it was welcoming to put in place measures to conserve the forest and save the environment as a whole, it was prudent to address benefits Liberia will get in return to improve the lives of the citizens and foster development.
Meanwhile, at the end of the meeting, the lawmakers selected two focal persons to serve as a liaison between them and the Civil Society Organizations in Liberia as they find ways in addressing the impact of Climate Change.
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