‘AFRICANS MUST MOBILISE SO THAT NO ONE IS LEFT BEHIND’

African activists are driving a powerful movement for climate justice, turning climate change from a sidelined issue into a central cause across the continent. Through the African Activists for Climate Justice (AACJ) partnership, they are empowering marginalised communities, amplifying voices, and influencing policies. By uniting local and global efforts, they ensure Africa’s demands for environmental rights and sustainable development are heard on the world stage.

‘Before 2008,’ Mithika Mwenda, Director of the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), says, ‘the climate discourse was limited to academic circles. African voices were non-existent. Fortunately, we have reversed that. A conference in Johannesburg was the major turning point.’

Several African civil society organisations involved in the climate debate revitalised the discussion and changed its course by incorporating all dimensions. ‘Since then, we have made significant strides. The grim reality that climate change extends beyond environmental and scientific concerns has emerged. It permeates all aspects of life: gender, economy, and humanitarian—a call to action that should reverberate across continents and cultures.’

We meet Dr Mithika in his office on a serene side street off the busy Ngong Road in Nairobi. It is 2 p.m. on a Saturday, with a slight breeze and light showers. ‘I remember our early days well,’ he says. ‘Most people thought we had set the bar too high: a Pan-African climate movement seemed unfeasible. We are now in 51 countries and over two thousand member organisations, encompassing all types of groups at all levels.

‘With our northern partners, we are working toward the acknowledgement that Africa is responsible for less than ten percent of greenhouse gas emissions but is the least equipped to deal with the negative impacts of climate change and the least capacity for adaptation. It is necessary to uphold all applicable human rights to achieve environmental and climate justice. However, governments should acknowledge this and respond with appropriate policies, resources, and actions.’

He continues: ‘The ability to voice concerns—or participate in decision-making—lies beyond the power of most citizens, sometimes due to a lack of knowledge and other times due to the heavy hand of the government. We started the African Activists for Climate Justice (AACJ) partnership in 2021 under the Power of Voices Programme. Ours is unique since it is African-led, which enables African organisations to grow.

‘We give marginalised communities a louder voice and continually connect them with the global climate movement. This way, they can defend their human rights and advocate for themselves. We designed the approach with our consortium partners, who believe in a robust Pan-African movement to accelerate climate action. We want women, youth, and local populations to survive and thrive.’

The partnership’s success lies in empowering marginalised communities, enabling them to assert their environmental rights and influence policies previously constrained by limited access to legal resources and decision-making processes. ‘The partnership is not purely local or African; it includes a Dutch component, with climate strategies that affect Africa and influence our work, such as feminist foreign policy and advocating for more civic space.’

They are now in eight countries: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, and South Africa, along with consortium members FEMNET, Oxfam Novib, Natural Justice, and the African Youth Commission.

Each strengthens the African movement for climate justice distinctively: a group of lawyers defends environmental defenders, the largest women’s group brings in its specific issues, and an association of young people lead the fight. ‘During our recent meeting in Addis Ababa, we asked ourselves, ‘Where do we stand now?’ We are entering our fourth year, so looking back is good, and it has brought some things to light,’ he states.

‘We suddenly had a clearer view of our impact—we saw how the climate movement is gaining ground, has momentum, and how marginalised communities actively participate and adjust policies and narratives. They showed that they could claim their environmental rights through legal action.’

This growing momentum and recognition of marginalised voices are crucial, especially considering the broader global context. At the heart of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement are the ‘Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs),’ which concern each country’s efforts to reduce emissions and adapt. Those plans are taking shape with implementing laws and policies in many AACJ countries—at the national and local levels. But the context matters, with violent conflicts, political instability, and natural disasters slowing it down.

The partnership continually responds to these events to mitigate them where possible so that progress continues without interruption. That is going quite well, although it could be more efficient with better coordination and risk management.

He asserts: ‘Our work has elevated climate change to a primary issue within African politics—it demands attention, as does justice. What was once a marginal issue is now commonplace, not that we are there yet. Africans must mobilise so that no one is left behind.’

Local communities on the front lines of the climate crisis often feel the vulnerability—therefore, it is high time they have a voice in the solutions. The partnership applies several principles under the Locally-led Adaptation Initiatives, aiming for resilience and against the unpredictability of the new climate, with programmes, funding, and practices—until full ownership is secured.

Under the name Climate Justice Resilience Facility for Africa (CJRFA), the partnership provides small grants for innovation and start-ups that offer alternatives. It is intended for formal and informal groups and communities because a lack of resources or government-imposed restrictions often prevent official establishment.

There are five funds, each led by a consortium member: building (grassroots) movements, alliance building (to connect activists and organisations), protecting human rights defenders on climate issues (rapid response), and focusing on locally-led action and advocacy.

There is a strong emphasis on the intersection of agriculture and climate in Africa—considered the cradle of agricultural society—but the weather changes bring much uncertainty.

As these climate-related challenges intensify, the impact on communities becomes more evident. One such community is in the small coastal town of Bargny, which lies calmly on a sheltered bay just fifteen kilometres from Dakar, the capital of Senegal.

With over fifty thousand people crowded into just two square kilometres, Bargny’s fishing community grapples with the consequences of polluting industries. There is a coal plant, one of the largest cement factories in West Africa, and other businesses that cause erosion and environmental damage while ignoring the residents and their right to a clean and healthy environment.

The town has risen against the coal plant because it could accelerate climate change in an area plagued by severe air and environmental problems. Moreover, the smoke threatens it, especially the fishermen. By empowering communities to claim their rights, Natural Justice is leading the fight with determination on behalf of AACJ. In ten African countries, it has 24 partners and provides legal support, research, and advocacy to help groups like the fishermen stand up for their ecosystem.

The focus is always on the duty of governments to uphold human rights. In this case, it is to prevent foreseeable negative impacts from climate change and provide assistance or alternatives to those affected so that they can live with dignity.

However, activists who stand up for this often face significant risks, especially now that civic space is shrinking. Strategic lawsuits and legal training for local communities remain the best way to address emergency disputes for communities.

The link between polluting industries, the climate crisis, and development issues has widened the gap in involving vulnerable groups in decision-making, especially among fishermen and their livelihoods. The conflict essentially revolves around land ownership. The government has allocated ‘traditional lands’ to the coal plant, resulting in the displacement of families—leaving them to fend for themselves without a second plan.

Rising sea levels have compelled families to relocate further inland. Additionally, health is deteriorating due to the toxic emissions from the plant, which affects respiratory health and contaminates crops. Although the government had promised to locate it far outside the city, it did so on the edge of Bargny. But the town is fighting back.

On the front line is Fatou Samba, president of the local Association of Female Fish Processors. These women are working tirelessly just a stone’s throw from the plant. They are not alone in their revolt, finding support from Lumière Synergie pour le Développement.

The people of Bargny are ‘fisher-farmers;’ one season, they cultivate the land, and in another, they go to sea. This way, they remain sovereign in their food supply and even have fish left over to export to Guinea, Mali, and Burkina Faso. According to Samba, those countries are dependent on their seafood. Supporters of the plant often praise its positive impact on the economy. However, she calls this a fallacy because the created jobs did not go to the local population—they are fishermen and farmers, and you need papers to work there.

Moreover, Senegal does not have coal. To keep the plant running, it imports it from South Africa. When you look at the conditions of the miners, this choice immediately raises questions about ecology and human rights. Meanwhile, the situation in Bargny remains dire with the plant in place. The town is between two major industries, with the cement factory emitting fine dust. Consequently, young people are moving north to Europe for opportunities and a cleaner life. But Samba and her people continue their protests unabated because they have no other choice.

The African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) is strategically positioned in the partnership—as an organiser and facilitator to bring together the voices of women from across the continent. It is a Pan-African feminist network that brings together over eight hundred members in 43 countries to empower women and girls to assert their rights and work together to eliminate all forms of injustice against them: oppression, exclusion, and exploitation. At times, it serves as a reminder to African governments of the promises they have made.

At its General Assemblies, FEMNET often discusses the intersection of gender and climate—which has dire consequences on the continent—hatching plans without mincing words. They believe African women must regain their voice and then collectively steer the debate in a different direction so they are always taken into account—now so that they co-decide. For that, they must shape their narrative.

In the fall of 2023, the General Assembly was in the Seychelles, after the first edition a year earlier in Namibia. They focused on a ‘feminist approach to a just transition.’ The theme, once again, highlighted how climate change affects women differently, impacts them more, and how policy lags.

The Nairobi Summer School on Climate Justice is its flagship. ‘This is how we are building a formidable army of well-informed and driven young leaders,’ says Mwenda. ‘Our vision is based on indigenous knowledge, intergenerational wisdom, and the skills to advocate for change.’

The school now has about a thousand alumni, representing 73 nationalities from the broader Global South—but mainly African. The faculty includes African professors, experts, researchers, and community members, with tailored modules on climate strategies and solutions. The school prepares students for how it works in the real world, and that preparation is invaluable when they negotiate policies. ‘It has been invaluable,’ says Lucky Abeng, a former student from Nigeria, ‘on my path to becoming a climate advocate. The wide range of perspectives and expertise has broadened my view and has spurred me into action as president of the Commonwealth of Youth Climate Change Networks.’

The founder, Michael Terungwa David, says: ‘The people are the solution to the climate problem. If we organise and educate ourselves, let go of our despair, and learn how to convince governments of climate-friendly policies, we will make a difference.’

Recently, I was with such driven activists at the African Climate Summit in Nairobi. Zarafilou Zorome from Burkina Faso once again highlighted the importance of climate justice: ‘We do it for the next generations; our unwavering commitment and determination are the only way to ignite it, to bring a spark of hope.’

Olumide Idowu from Nigeria added: ‘Africa must take responsibility for its development: we must harness our local resources to shape our future and boost our economy.’ Fatou Lagnane from Senegal concluded: ‘My message to our leaders is clear and unmistakable: prioritise local solutions. Indigenous communities have always shown effective ways of adapting to climate change.’

Edited by Pius Okore.