PARLIAMENTARIANS@COP30 Newsletter | 22 December 2025, Volume 5 Issue 8

Welcome to this last issue of the year of our multilingual Parliamentarians@COP30 newsletter, prepared by GLOBE Legislators serving as theUNFCCC Focal Point for the world’s parliamentary constituency. Our work supports legislators to deliver on their Paris Agreement (and related) climate commitments, and to prepare for and engage effectively at COP30.
 
This year, GLOBE added another language – Portuguese– to the newsletters to facilitate engagement by legislators from Brazil, the host of COP30. The newsletters are now available in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish.
 
We are proud to have work closely with the COP28-COP29-COP30 Presidencies, now brought together as the first such Troika, to better coordinate across the Presidencies and support Mission 1.5C. From 2026 onwards, we look forward to working with the COP31 Co-Presidencies of Türkiye and Australia and look forward to engaging with their parliamentarians.
 
Our focus is on ensuring that the global parliamentary constituency is well-informed and supported to engage in the UNFCCC process, the annual COPs and related international fora. Tune in for in-depth updates at our monthly Webinars for the Parliamentary constituency (details below) and our bi-monthly newsletters.
 
Contents
1.     UN/COP30 Presidency Updates
2.     Global updates
3.     Tracking Parliamentary Climate Actions
3.     Parliamentary network reports
4.     Have your say/Support us/Contact us

Resource: At COP28 and COP29 GLOBE hosted the first Parliamentary Pavilions at COP.

2026 must kickstart a new Decade of Implementation – UN Chief 

Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has stated that 2026 must begin a new decade of implementation of climate action, if the world is to achieve the 1.5 degrees goal of the Paris Agreement. Guterres, who acknowledged that a decade after the Paris Agreement was adopted, significant progress has been made to bend the curve of global temperature rise, advised that the world must do more to ensure that more people access the "benefits of clean energy, resilient infrastructure, better health, and new jobs" with more countries having better access to climate finance and technology. He further advised that "more leaders must choose cooperation over conflict, solidarity over short-term interest, and science over denial and disinformation." More here

COP31 Date Announced

Ethiopia Appoints COP32 President-Designate

COP32 Presidency, Ethiopia, has appointed its Foreign Minister, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, as the COP32 President-designate. The very early announcement reflects Ethiopia's efforts at a proactive preparation for COP32. Dr Timothewos is expected to leverage the long planning period to build alliances and work towards a successful delivery of COP32. More here

President Lula issues Directive on Fossil
Fuel Transition

President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, on Monday, 8 December, 2025, issued a directive mandating the development of a framework for Brazil to transition away from fossil fuel. The directive which builds on Brazil’s COP30 position mandates the development and submission within 60 days of a “national roadmap for transitioning away from fossil fuels in a just and orderly manner”. More here

France and China Release Joint Statement on
Climate Change Collaboration

China and France have released a joint statement committing to increased collaboration for climate action. The statement which was released on 5 December, 2025, following the state visit of President Emmanuel Macron to Beijing, affirmed the two countries' commitment to strengthening cooperation on renewable energy, methane reduction, and provision of climate finance for developing countries. Both countries also restated their commitments to the Paris Agreement. Read the full statement here

20th World Wildlife Conference Concludes with
Strong Roadmap

The 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (CoP20) concluded on 5 December, 2025, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The two-week conference for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) brought together over 3,500 participants who reviewed 50 proposals and adopted over 350 decisions. Accordingly, "Parties adopted enhanced measures addressing online wildlife crime, illicit financial flows, corruption, annual illegal trade reporting, and reinforced mandates for the implementation of CITES Big Cats and Tree Species Task Forces outcomes". More here

UNEA-7 Re-Affirms Interconnectedness of the
Three Rio Conventions

GLOBE CEO to Step Down in 2026 & HQ transition
to Nairobi

After 10 years serving as CEO of GLOBE Legislators, the organisation has announced that Malini Mehra will be stepping down from her role as CEO in Spring of 2026. Malini spearheaded GLOBE’s successful positioning at the heart of global parliamentary organising and appointment as the first-ever UNFCCC’s Focal Point for Parliamentarians. Marking a new phase in the organisation’s development, she will oversee its transition to Nairobi, Kenya, and induction of new management. She will remain on the Board to continue to provide strategic guidance, but step back from executive duties to support new leadership. More here.

World Future Energy Summit billed for Abu Dhabi

The World Future Energy Summit will take place at the ADNEC Centre, Abu Dhabi, on 13-15 January, 2026. The global think tank event will seek to ignite "bold ideas and real-world solutions for a greener, smarter tomorrow." More here

GMGSF-21 takes place in Nairobi, Kenya

IRENA 16A set for Abu Dhabi

The 16th Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA 16A) with the theme "Powering Humanity: Renewable Energy for Shared Prosperity" will take place on 10-12 November, 2026, in Abu Dhabi. The Assembly will feature session with focus on key renewable energy and energy transition themes such as a High-Level Dialogue on Reimagining Energy Futures; Pathways for Renewables, Grids, and Industry; Green Industrialization; etc. IRENA 16A will also feature a Legislators & Regulators Forum with focus on "Rethinking the Framework." More here

AGNES Presents Africa’s Model Climate Change Law

On 4th December 2025, the Climate Parliament and Africa Group of Negotiators Expert Support (AGNES), presented the draft Model Climate Change Law for Africa. According to AGNES, the "Model Climate Change Law (MCCL) is a pioneering legislative blueprint created through extensive consultations with African parliamentarians, legal experts, climate scientists, UN agencies, and civil society. The MCCL provides a coherent and context-appropriate framework that countries can use to draft or strengthen national climate laws. It integrates best international practices while reflecting African priorities such as adaptation, resilience, responsive governance, and equitable development." The virtual roundtable was attended by MPs and experts from Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Sierra Leone. Download the Model Climate Change Law here: English French

Senator Galvez Calls for Climate-aligned Finance

As a first action after COP30, energetic Canadian Senator, Rosa Galvez, called for the Canada-China panel to prioritise climate-aligned finance informed by science to accelerate action. In October 2025, Senator Galvez had re-introduced the Climate Aligned Finance bill in the Canadian Senate. More here

Barry Gardiner makes case for
Climate-Sensitive Budgeting

The UK’s Barry Gardiner MP, representing London’s Brent West Constituency, has called on the UK Parliament to factor in climate impacts and how to reverse them, in its budgeting process. Hon. Gardiner made this call on 1 December, 2025, while addressing the budget delivered to the House on 26 November, 2025. He pointed out that global emissions have gradually risen to the point of "dangerous climate change" which must be checked to avoid the collapse of the economy, mass migration, chaos, etc. More here

MPs call for solidarity to deliver climate action

Members of Parliament from South Asia have called for regional climate multilateralism as a solution to the raging climate crisis. The call was made by MPs from India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Maldives. Reflecting on the outcomes of COP30, and the fact that the world is gradually slipping away from the 1.5 degrees threshold, the MPs said it was time for a "reimagined form of climate multilateralism, one shaped by the priorities, realities, and leadership of the Global South". More here

Parliamentary Network Reports

Parliamentary Group Monthly Webinar

In 2026, the Parliamentary Group’s monthly “Parliamentarians@COP31” webinar will commence on 28 January, 2026. The morning and afternoon sessions will provide an important platform for members of parliamentary networks to discuss plans for COP31 and beyond. The webinar will help with information sharing, planning and coordination by Members of Parliament, staff and parliamentary organisations for COP31 and related processes to inform and support parliamentary engagement.

A full calendar for 2026 will be released and shared with the Group in January, 2026.

Parliamentarians@COP31 Newsletter

Next year, we will continue with the provision of bi-monthly updates on key happenings on climate change and sustainable development across the world, through our multi-lingual Parliamentarians@COP31 newsletter.

Dates for 2026 publications will be released in January, 2026.

Kindly share your updates through focalpoint@globelegislators.org

GLOBE tracks parliamentary engagements in the UNFCCC process on an ongoing basis. We would like to hear from you on your parliamentary engagement on climate change. Please contact <focalpoint@globelegislators.org>

GLOBE International is an international charity registered in Belgium. We work in a cross-party and non-partisan manner to ensure that elected representatives are aware of and engaged in key international processes such as the United Nations conference of parties (COPs) on climate change, biodiversity and desertification.  Since 2021, GLOBE has served as the UNFCCC Focal Point for the Parliamentary Group, providing a range of services to help inform and organise the global parliamentary constituency. We seek to do the same for the other Rio Conventions and key international institutions and processes.  As a non-profit organisation our work relies on public support and donations. If you would like to support our work, kindly Donate using our Paypal account: the beneficiary is <secretariat@globelegislators.org>

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