WYCJ attends inaugural Africa Climate Summit

The Inaugural Africa Climate Summit recently concluded, co-hosted by the Kenyan government and the African Union Commission (AUC). The summit held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 4th-6th September, aimed to address climate change in Africa under the theme "Driving Green Growth and Climate Finance Solutions for Africa and the World." It brought together government officials, leaders from Africa and beyond, intergovernmental organizations, the private sector, civil society organizations, and vulnerable groups, including youth, women, and frontline communities. The summit aimed to shape climate action in Africa while advocating for increased global investment in climate initiatives.

Amid a global youth movement pushing for environmental ambition, African youth organized the first-ever Africa Youth Climate Assembly (AYCA) during the summit. This 3-day event aimed to consolidate youth voices into a declaration (AYCA Nairobi Declaration) to feed into the Africa Climate Summit's outcomes. It also provided a platform for youth to showcase their innovations and solutions and underscore why their voices should be heard. WY4CJ leveraged this opportunity to showcase our campaign and lobby state actors to file submissions to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to consider and offer an advisory opinion on how states can legally protect their citizens, including future generations, from the adverse effects of climate change.

WYCJ’s campaigner Peter Bulimo presenting WYCJ’s poster at the Africa Youth Climate Assembly

As the summit culminated in the "African Leaders Nairobi Declaration on Climate Change and Call to Action”, concerns have arisen that the declaration may have overlooked the needs of vulnerable groups most affected by the climate crisis. This has raised questions about the future of these marginalized communities. Given these concerns, it is now even more crucial for states to file submissions to the ICJ on climate change advisory opinion. Only through a legal mandate can the rights of vulnerable groups, who bear the brunt of the climate crisis, be safeguarded.

The Africa Climate Summit and the Africa Youth Climate Assembly indeed made a significant mark in bringing together diverse stakeholders to address climate change in Africa. The Nairobi Declaration, while a positive step, has raised concerns about its inclusivity. Legal mandates, such as the one being pushed by WY4CJ, are seen as a way to protect vulnerable communities in the face of climate uncertainties. It is imperative that meaningful and tangible actions anchored in law, are taken to address climate change's impact on Africa and its people.