More than 80 Brazilian lawmakers \u2014 including federal and state deputies, senators, and city councilors \u2014 have already signed the Parliamentarians\u2019 Letter to the COP30 Presidency, launched this Wednesday (July 16) during a formal session in the plenary of Brazil\u2019s Chamber of Deputies in Bras\u00edlia. The initiative calls for the formal recognition of the role of legislative bodies in global climate governance. <\/p>\n\n
The proposal is coordinated nationally by Plataforma CIP\u00d3 and Clima de Pol\u00edtica, and led internationally by GLOBE Legislators. The letter was officially presented during the General Commission held to discuss the Brazilian Parliament\u2019s engagement in preparations for COP30. <\/p>\n\n
The document calls for the creation of a formal space for parliamentary participation within the structure of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Its main demand is the establishment of a parliamentary constituency \u2014 similar to the one created for local and municipal governments in 1995. <\/p>\n\n
According to its signatories, this inclusion is essential to ensure that elected representatives \u2014 senators, deputies, and councilors \u2014 have a continuous and active voice in international climate discussions, especially given the challenge of implementing the Paris Agreement.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cThis letter is a crucial step toward institutionalizing parliamentary engagement in global climate governance. It is essential that parliaments not only follow the process but also actively shape the direction of negotiations and the implementation of climate commitments,\u201d said Murilo Amatneeks, Advocacy Coordinator at Plataforma CIP\u00d3.<\/p>\n\n
Plataforma CIP\u00d3, which works to promote just climate governance and environmental justice, has been actively advocating for greater parliamentary involvement in international climate decision-making. The articulation of this letter is part of these efforts, seeking formal recognition of parliaments as key actors in tackling the climate crisis. <\/p>\n\n
The letter also highlights the legislative branch\u2019s strategic role in drafting laws, overseeing executive action, and ensuring transparency \u2014 especially during times of political instability. It further emphasizes the need for a just, inclusive, and equitable climate transition, with the meaningful participation of Black, Indigenous, quilombola, rural, peripheral, and traditional communities. <\/p>\n\n
The letter will remain open for endorsements from both Brazilian and international lawmakers until COP30, which is scheduled to take place in November 2025, in Bel\u00e9m, Par\u00e1. The initiative aims to expand parliamentary engagement in climate negotiations and bolster Brazil\u2019s leadership in ambitious, democratic, and rights-based climate action. <\/p>\n\n
The General Commission session that marked the launch of the letter was requested by parliamentarians from different political parties as part of the activities for Environment Week.<\/p>\n\n