- ImpactWe help parliaments to become greener and to implement the Paris agreement.We support democracy by strengthening parliamentsWe work to increase women’s representation in parliament and empower women MPs.We defend the human rights of parliamentarians and help them uphold the rights of all.We help parliaments fight terrorism, cyber warfare and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.We encourage youth participation in parliaments and empower young MPs.We support parliaments in implementing the SDGs with a particular focus on health and climate change.
- Parliaments
Nearly every country in the world has some form of parliament. Parliamentary systems fall into two categories: bicameral and unicameral. Out of 190 national parliaments in the world, 78 are bicameral (156 chambers) and 112 are unicameral, making a total of 268 chambers of parliament with some 44,000 members of parliament. IPU membership is made up of 180 national parliamentsFind a national parliament
The Swiss National Council © The Swiss Parliament
We help strengthen parliaments to make them more representative and effective. - Knowledge
Discover the IPU's resources
Our library of essential resources for parliamentsGlobal data for and about national parliamentsLatest data and reports about women in parliamentResolutions, declarations and outcomes adopted by IPU MembersRecent innovations in the way parliaments workThe latest climate change legislation from the London School of Economics' database
Solar panels in Spain © AFP
Climate change
We help parliaments to become greener and to implement the Paris agreement.
Climate change is killing people and destroying lives, development, peace and security all over the world. That's why climate action has been recognized as the top policy priority for the IPU.
The ultimate goal of the IPU’s action on climate change is to allow all people to live on a healthier planet with warming limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
The IPU helps parliaments make progress on the Paris Agreement as well as other climate treaties, accelerate decarbonization and reduce the carbon footprint within parliaments themselves through its research, tools and meetings.
All year, the IPU organizes events for parliamentarians to come together and exchange good practice when it comes to legislating, budgeting or scrutinizing government action on climate change.
The IPU works closely with UN partners on climate change, especially the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The IPU also endeavours to reduce its own carbon footprint, including its Assemblies.
Number of climate change laws of the world
5000+
The IPU is a partner of the London School of Economics' database of climate change legislation
Parliaments for the Planet
Discover the IPU's climate campaign designed to mobilize parliament to take action on the climate emergency
Latest news and stories on climate change
Voices
22/04/2024
As part of the IPU's climate campaign Parliaments for the Planet, Pita Limjaroenrat, member of parliament from Thailand shares with the IPU how climate change is affecting his country and the steps taken by his parliament to tackle the climate
News in brief
22/04/2024
Every year, people worldwide take a collective pause to recognize the importance of preserving and protecting our planet’s natural resources on Earth Day, marked on 22 April. Given the severity of the climate crisis, it’s becoming a more important landmark
Voices
01/02/2024
By John Oldfield The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, proclaimed by the United Nations in 1948, envisions “a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want”. It is the vision
Voices
16/01/2024
How is climate change affecting your country? Currently, one of the most significant impacts of climate change in the Persian Gulf Region is the increase in sand and dust storms. The region is particularly prone to these storms due to
Press releases
06/12/2023
Parliaments were in the spotlight on 6 December 2023 in Dubai at COP28, the UN Climate Change Conference, at a day of parliamentary meetings organized by the IPU and the Federal National Council (FNC), the Parliament of the United Arab
Climate change
Latest publications on climate change
Issue briefs
This Issues brief is designed to help parliamentarians identify policies and actions to adapt to the consequences of climate change in mountain ecoysystems.
10 actions for greener parliaments (and those who work in them)
This brochure presents the highlights from the toolkit Disaster Risk Reduction to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals published by the IPU and UNDRR in 2021. The toolkit is designed to help parliaments and parliamentarians to initiate, strengthen and oversee national
Climate change
Related events
Climate change