The Honourable Javier Ortega, Member of the National Assembly of Panama and president of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network on Climate Change participated in the opening of the Fourth Congress of the Ibero-American Federation of Green Municipalities
From April 16 to 20, Member of the National Assembly Javier Ortega (Panama), president of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network on Climate Change (PNCC) participated in the Fourth Congress of the Ibero-American Federation of Green Municipalities, titled “Municipal Institutional Transformation: the key to an inclusive and sustainable country”. Organized by the Association of Municipalities of Panama (AMUPA), the Congress brought together mayors, parliamentarians, and Latin American specialists to address problems related to sustainability and climate change at the municipal level.
Delegates acknowledged that cities and urban areas contribute more than 70% of global energy-related CO2 emissions and are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Moreover, it was mentioned that the current scale of urban expansion offers an opportunity for cities to implement plans that in the future will be the basis for a sustainable and resilient society.
During the Congress, Member of the National Assembly Ortega, who participated in the opening panel, invited the audience to reflect on the priorities for cities, emphasizing that municipalities must “implement policies and practices based on evidence to resolve local problems; guarantee diversity of opinions in decision-making, including women, young people, indigenous communities, and residents living on the outskirts of the city; as well as create and build up collaborations with researchers, legislators, and professionals for a more effective effort and better informed-policies to take action at the municipal level”.
The president of ParlAmericas’ Parliamentary Network for Climate Change underlined the importance of working collaboratively with different state actors and the vital role that legislators play in strengthening the legislative agenda to combat climate change and its impacts in the hemisphere and in promoting actions aligned with the Nationally Determined Contributions adopted in the Paris Agreement.
