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The Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance convened an African Civil Society Roundtable on Climate Action in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on the 10th and 11th of August 2023 ahead of the 19th Session of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) to take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The roundtable brought together a diverse group of civil society organizations, the African Union, the African Development Bank, governmental bodies, experts, and other stakeholders who are deeply invested in addressing the pressing environmental challenges and the diverse and dynamic interlinkages in environmental issues and the ongoing climate crisis.
In the arena of climate discourse, the amalgamation of voices has manifested in a compelling address to the 19th Africa Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) in 2023.
With a chorus of African Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) behind it, the CSOs call reverberates for AMCEN to champion crucial African priorities in its engagements with global and regional stakeholders.
A cornerstone lies in the resolute demand for secure and equitable finance to underpin adaptation, loss and damage, and mitigation actions, levied primarily on the historical contributors of greenhouse gas emissions.
“We acknowledge that biodiversity is essential for human health, livelihoods, food security, and cultural diversity, and we express our concern over the alarming rate of biodiversity loss and degradation in Africa and globally”, reads the statement. Mr. Charles Mwangi the Head of Programs and Research at the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance highlighted the importance of AMCEN and asked the progress of the implementation status of the past resolutions.
“There have been many sessions of the AMCEN, and we are asking, have the resolutions/decisions been implemented to achieve climate justice for Africa?”, Charles questioned. Robert Muthami a climate change expert dissected the decisions of the 19th Ordinary session of the AMCEN and called upon the AMCEN processes to be leveraged, be more vibrant and be used to enhance its implementation of decisions to allow, “transformation breathing vibrant life into their mechanisms, and utilizing them to amplify the implementation of decisions.”
The pre-AMCEN call comes at the time the alarming findings presented in the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Assessment Report of March 2023 underscored the unequivocal role of human activities in driving global warming and the imperative to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
“We strongly encourage AMCEN to back the creation and execution of national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAPs) that align with the global framework. We also urge them to gather sufficient resources and partnerships to support biodiversity preservation and restoration efforts in Africa” readsthe statement by African Non-State Actors.
The overarching theme of the 19th AMCEN session, “Seizing opportunities and enhancing collaboration to address environmental challenges in Africa,” underscores the critical need for collective action in the face of climate change and other ecological crises.
Anchored in the principles of fairness and justice, the African CSOs submission advocates for the equitable allocation of emission reduction targets and climate benefits, grounded in the tenets of common yet distinct responsibilities.
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In an era where representation matters profoundly, the African CSOs plea resonates for heightened African voices within the annals of UNFCCC decision-making arenas, with a particular spotlight on the voices of marginalized segments including women, youth, and others.
The directive towards bolstering regional cooperation, nurturing green recovery stratagems, and embracing an equitable transition amplifies the African narrative on sustainable development and casts a resonant summons to AMCEN. Dr. Olufunso Somorin, a Regional Principal Officer at the African Development Bank emphasized that “the continent has seen the evolving of its own leadership and this is a key step in ensuring we have the relevant tools, financial systems, and partnerships critical for our collective goal of a climate-resilient Africa
The outcomes of this dialogue encompass a consolidated non-state actors’ position on AMCEN’s thematic priorities and recommendations geared toward hastening the execution of AMCEN’s decisions.
The resounding message calls upon AMCEN’s member states, stakeholders, and global partners to join forces and work collaboratively toward actionable solutions delineated in prior AMCEN resolutions, all designed with Africa’s unique circumstances in mind.