The COVID-19 pandemic. The war in Ukraine. The triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss. Recent events – some that could have been foreseen, others that took the world by surprise – have revealed the fragility of the world’s existing governance structures. The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence is also likely to revolutionize the […]
With the summer of 2023 set to be the hottest on record, time is rapidly running out to keep global warming under the Paris Agreement target of 1.5 degrees Celsius. Climate action has become the number one strategic priority for the IPU which is why the Organization launched a new climate campaign Parliaments for the Planet earlier this year. […]
Parliament buildings are often statements revealing a country’s vision, traditions and culture. Here are the five types of plenary halls and their political significance. As former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill commented: “We shape our buildings and afterwards our buildings shape us.” Architecture has a profound impact on our behaviour. The size and shape of a […]
The Kingdom of Bhutan is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. The landlocked mountainous country has a fragile ecosystem with around 2,700 glaciers which are beginning to melt, causing floods and landslides. The country suffers from prolonged and extreme droughts which increase the risk of biodiversity loss and forest fires. Climate change […]
The planet is heating up – fast. According to the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change, “keeping warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels requires deep, rapid and sustained greenhouse gas emissions reductions in all sectors. Emissions should be decreasing by now […]
The IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report is sobering reading- and should galvanize action around the world. Parliamentarians are on the frontline. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. It gives regular updates on a sliding scale of scenarios for our global habitat, informed […]
2022 was the first year of the implementation of the five-year IPU Strategy for 2022-2026. Through its five objectives, the Strategy has given the IPU a renewed mandate to continue strengthening and connecting parliaments for peace, democracy and sustainable development. In this newly structured Impact Report, we demonstrate how, throughout the year, the IPU has […]
How is climate change affecting your country and what is your parliament doing about it? The IPU is asking dozens of MPs from around the world as part of its Parliaments for the Planet climate action campaign. Check out the videos on the IPU website to hear more about the perspectives and actions of MPs […]
At the 146th IPU Assembly in Manama, Bahrain, parliamentarians representing close to 140 countries adopted by consensus the Manama Declaration Promoting peaceful coexistence and inclusive societies: Fighting intolerance and a landmark resolution on Cybercrimes: The new risks to global security. The Manama Declaration: A message of hope The Declaration follows a debate in which a record 151 parliamentarians spoke before […]
The IPU has launched a new campaign, Parliaments for the Planet, designed to mobilize parliaments and parliamentarians to act on the climate emergency. The campaign will encourage parliaments and those who work in them to lead by example, reduce their own carbon footprint and take concrete measures to implement the Paris Agreement on climate to limit […]
