Central African parliamentarians prioritise science and climate finance
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Parliamentarians from across Central Africa gathered and signed the Yaoundé Declaration, a commitment to base environmental laws on scientific data and increase access to international climate funding.
They agreed to integrate scientific data into legislative processes, including budget votes and government oversight. To track progress, the group will establish a parliamentary dashboard focused on climate, forests, and biodiversity, and hold yearly meetings with researchers before reviewing financial laws. The declaration also focuses on unlocking climate finance.
Parliamentarians will support the creation of the Congo Basin Forest Finance Facility to fund the COMIFAC’s 2026-2035 convergence plan and national climate policies. They also plan to create a regional system to help prepare viable projects and certify national and regional institutions. Governments will be required to annually report on climate funding received and how it is used.
The Yaoundé Declaration prioritises social justice and human rights by including local communities and Indigenous peoples in benefit-sharing from carbon credits and ecosystem services. The parliamentarians also committed to harmonising environmental legislation across the sub-region and forming an alliance with lawmakers from the Amazon and Southeast Asia to advocate for shared positions during international negotiations. The group called on international partners to simplify funding procedures and increase concessional financing for the region.
