Venezuela is a federal democratic nation made up of 23 states and the federal district of Caracas. The power to make law rests in the unicameral legislature, the National Assembly, and is made up of 165 representatives, voted into office for five-year terms from congressional districts with no limits to the number of terms they may serve. Legislative elections took place in 2020.
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Venezuela
Federative (23 states, 1 federal district, 1 federal dependency)
Political Groups
G77
World Bank Income Group
Upper middle income
Global Climate Risk Index
66
The annually published Global Climate Risk Index analyses to what extent countries have been affected by the impacts of weather-related loss events (storms, floods, heat waves etc.).
Published by German Watch https://www.germanwatch.org/en/criShare of Global Emissions
0.74%
Legislation
7
Laws, Acts, Constitutions (legislative branch)
Policies
4
Policies, strategies, decrees, action plans (from executive branch)
Litigation
Coming soon
Court cases and tribunal proceedings
Targets
4
Climate targets in National Law & Policy
Latest Documents
, 2021
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) First NDC (Updated submission), Nationally Determined Contribution from Venezuela in 2021
, 2021
The decree 4.586, published in the official gazette 42.246, creates the National Committee of Green Climate Fund. The Committee is a presidential commission and advisory body to the President on a permanent basis. The decree further details the Committee's composition and attributions. The decree 4.586 also appears in Official Gazette 42.217.
, 2021
Decree No. 4.585 appoints the Minister of People's Power for Ecosocialism as the National Authority designated before the Green Climate Fund.
, 2021
Namibia. Biennial update report (BUR). BUR4., Biennial Update Report from Venezuela in 2021
, 2019
This is a follow-up plan to the National Project Simon Bolivar 2007-2013 and the homeland plan 2013-2019. The plan acts as a national strategic guide for policy and governance and contains general guidelines for its implementation.As the Economic and Social Development Plan of the Nation, it sets five objectives, the fifth "Historical Objective" being to contribute to the ...
Targets (4)
Request to download all target data (.csv)- The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ratifies its commitment to reduce its GHG emissions by 20% by 2030 in relation to the inertial scenario.Economy-wide | Target year: 2030
- At least 20% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030 compared to the baseline scenarioEconomy-wide: Economy Wide | Target year: 2030
- Reduce emissions in this sector by 538.2 kton CO2eq/year; upgrade of recycling companiesIndustry: Industries: General | Target year:
- Establish additional 2,184 hectares of Agroforestry Systems (2016-2019)LULUCF: Sustainable Forest Management | Target year: 2019
Legislative Process
Law projects (bills) are proposed by members of the National Assembly and go through two readings. Unless rejected during the first reading, the bill is sent to the corresponding legislative committee to elaborate the legal text. In the second reading, the bill is debated article by article. If approved outright, the bill will be proclaimed law by the Secretary of the National Assembly and sent to the executive branch for the President’s sanction. Should serious objections be raised, amendments will be proposed and the bill will return to the designated committee for revision.
The current Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela was passed in 1999. Venezuela’s judicial power is headed by the Supreme Tribunal, which is a court of last resort. The Supreme Tribunal is empowered to invalidate any laws, regulations or other acts of the other governmental branches conflicting with the Constitution. Article 335 of the Constitution states that: “t[T]he Supreme Tribunal of Justice shall guarantee the supremacy and efficacy of constitutional rules and principles; it shall be the supreme and ultimate interpreter of the Constitution and shall see to the uniform interpretation and application of the same. Interpretations established by the Constitutional Division concerning the contents or scope of constitutional rules and principles are binding on the other division of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice and on all of the other courts of the Republic”. Venezuela’s Constitution further establishes a diffuse model of judicial review in its article 334, which reads as follows: “All of the judges of the Republic, within their respective spheres of competence and in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution and law, are obligated to ensure the integrity of the Constitution. […]”.
The current Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela was passed in 1999. Venezuela’s judicial power is headed by the Supreme Tribunal, which is a court of last resort. The Supreme Tribunal is empowered to invalidate any laws, regulations or other acts of the other governmental branches conflicting with the Constitution. Article 335 of the Constitution states that: “t[T]he Supreme Tribunal of Justice shall guarantee the supremacy and efficacy of constitutional rules and principles; it shall be the supreme and ultimate interpreter of the Constitution and shall see to the uniform interpretation and application of the same. Interpretations established by the Constitutional Division concerning the contents or scope of constitutional rules and principles are binding on the other division of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice and on all of the other courts of the Republic”. Venezuela’s Constitution further establishes a diffuse model of judicial review in its article 334, which reads as follows: “All of the judges of the Republic, within their respective spheres of competence and in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution and law, are obligated to ensure the integrity of the Constitution. […]”.
Venezuelan constitutional law dictates that during the drafting of proposed legislation, the National Assembly and Legislative Committees shall consult with the executive branch (represented by the Council of Ministers), the judicial branch (represented by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court), a special organ called the Council for Republican Morals meant to protect the democratic interests of citizens, and organised civil society. A bill becomes law once signed by the Secretary of the National Assembly, the President and two vice-presidents; and enacted on the day of its publication in the official gazette.