At the invitation of Alok Sharma & the UK government, LI president and United Nations climate champion Hakima el Haité was in the UK last week to engage with a high-level panel of experts in preparation for COP26.
Over a period of two days, leading figures from civil society, government, UNFCCC, and business were present at the talks to share experiences and promote the interests of stakeholders in upcoming negotiations.
On behalf of the global liberal family, president El Haite message to the international stakeholders was clear: “We need to include all sectors of society in discussions, including the business sector. Without them, it is impossible to raise the finances required to make sure we stay under a 1.5-degree temperature increase.”
Through president El Haite, LI was given a voice at the highest level of policymaking of COP26 and agreed to further initiatives and contact with world-leading backers from the NGO and Business sectors.
President El Haite was requested to continue to be part of a group of highly influential advisors on COP26 related matters and to represent the liberal viewpoint.
Grounded in the Andorra Liberal Manifesto which was adopted by global liberals at the 70th anniversary Congress of Liberal International, LI’s vision is to defend, develop and promote Liberal values by effectively coordinating and mobilising international cooperation and collective action among its member parties, affiliated liberal networks and organisations and politically conscious Liberal minded individuals in order to respond and solve the great challenges of the early 21st Century.
To this end, LI’s strategy is to be present at key, UN level, climate meetings in order to promote liberal perspectives on climate issues. LI is propelling liberals to the forefront of negations and take backspace as progressive thinkers in climate policy. The global federation was present at COP25 alongside national liberal parties, and we intend to be present again at COP26 in November to continue pushing for liberal voices to be heard.
The large majority of liberal groups believe in the necessity to listen to stakeholders and to the communities affected by an issue before truly effective policies can be developed; LI will take the first step toward integrated climate policies by gathering together experts, NGOs, politicians and business leaders to contribute to the foundations of our global liberal line on climate issues. On this basis, LI will produce a multi-stakeholder policy paper that will be approved at LI’s 63rdCongress in Sofia in June. The goal is to present a unified liberal position on the most pressing issues linked to climate change at this year’s all-important climate talks in November; LI’s presence at the leaders meeting was the first step in an ambitious plan.
Liberal International, in conjunction with membership, will be organising several events over the year to promote a unified liberal climate policy and give as much opportunity for interested stakeholders to give their input in the final positions.
