The adage that all politics are local has never been truer, as state and local governments strain to cope with revenue shortfalls, service cuts, unemployment and other woes linked to the global economic downturn. Elected representatives at all levels, whether from national parliaments or from state or provincial legislatures, are confronted by shared challenges as they seek to find workable solutions to counteract the fallout from the global economic crisis.
The annual National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), held in Philadelphia, USA, from 20 to 24 July, attracted a large audience and much interest, both nationally and internationally. Alongside several hundred US state legislators as well as business and civil society representatives, the Conference also drew parliamentarians – both local and national - from 24 other countries as far away as India and South Africa.
The President of the IPU, Dr. Theo Ben Gurirab, was one of the participants, serving as a special guest panellist at two events: a session for international delegates on the world economic downturn and a meeting of the NCSL Budget and Revenue Committee. At both events he related the conclusions of last May’s Parliamentary Conference on the global economic crisis. He also drew from the experience of his own parliament in Namibia in dealing with the crisis at the national level and from a developing country perspective.
One of the lessons of the crisis he highlighted in his speech was the need for more transparent government and overall solidarity: "The financial system must be subjected to tighter supervision. Parliaments have a major part in ensuring that this happens. There must be much more accountability within the banking system and financial service sectors than hitherto".
Among the many events at the NCSL Conference, the Green Jobs Symposium was particularly successful. It brought together legislators, business leaders, union representatives and experts for an in-depth discussion of the financial, technical and social aspects of switching from traditional manufacturing to innovative environmental services and products. One conclusion was that green jobs must do more than benefit the environment: they must also pay living wages and provide a career ladder.
There is no question that the development of green industries, supported by public-private partnerships, innovative financing and professional training, will be key to helping many countries overcome the current crisis.
