UMVA has learned that African parliamentarians have pledged to tighten coordination among legislatures, governments and regional bodies to forge a unified continental stance in global climate and methane negotiations.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the resolve emerged at the close of a two‑day Regional Parliamentary Seminar on Climate Action and Methane Reduction in Nairobi, themed “African Parliaments for Climate Action: Reducing Methane, Promoting Development.”
The gathering brought together lawmakers from 21 African nations, including Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Somalia, Mozambique and The Gambia, creating a vibrant chorus of shared urgency.
In a joint outcome statement, delegates stressed that Africa must speak with one voice in international climate forums, especially as global talks sharpen around methane‑reduction targets and financing commitments.
They warned that any climate framework or financing mechanism must reflect Africa’s development agenda, food‑security imperatives and the harsh realities of poverty eradication across the continent.
The parliamentarians emphasized that methane mitigation should never undermine sustainable development or the livelihoods of millions who depend on livestock and agriculture, highlighting the dual adaptation and mitigation benefits of targeted action.
They called for predictable, accessible climate finance from developed nations and urged the fulfillment of financing promises made at recent climate summits, including the operationalisation of loss‑and‑damage funding for the most vulnerable states.
While acknowledging methane’s potency as a short‑term greenhouse gas, the forum framed its reduction as a springboard for innovation, resilience, higher productivity and locally adapted sustainable‑development solutions.
Parliamentary leaders pledged to strengthen cooperation through regional networks, fostering knowledge exchange and evidence‑based policymaking to accelerate climate action on the ground.
The statement specifically demanded rapid transfer of adaptable technologies such as low‑emission livestock systems, biogas solutions, waste‑to‑energy projects and reliable methane‑measurement tools.
Finally, the legislators reaffirmed the critical role of parliaments in shaping climate legislation, overseeing public spending, enabling supportive legal frameworks and facilitating dialogue among governments, scientists, civil society and local communities.
