The journey has started for African Activists for Climate Justice

The African Activists for Climate Justice (AACJ) project – a consortium of five Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) – the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), Oxfam Novib, Natural Justice, African Youth Commission and the African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) has been launched to organize and mobilise women, youth and indigenous communities to advance their solutions to the climate crisis, in order to enjoy their rights to a healthy environment and self-determination. The five-year project will be implemented in eight African countries – Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Senegal, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Mozambique, and South Africa.

In his remarks, During the launch that took place on 22 November 2021 in a Mombasa hotel, Mithika Mwenda, Executive Director of PACJA said that we cannot continue to talk about climate impacts without the experiences of vulnerable fisher folk, the poor, smallholder rural farmers, women, youth, and pastoralists who are at the frontline of climate crisis. “They need to be empowered to raise their voices, engage policy makers at all levels and mobilise their communities for climate justice right at the grassroots,” he said.

Mithika thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, for supporting the project, which comes at a time of weak political will to address climate change, most notably portrayed during the just-concluded COP26 in Glasgow, United Kingdom.

Keriako Tobiko, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary of Ministry of Environment and Forestry who officiated the launch elucidated the urgency in dealing with the climate emergency, “Drought is ravaging our people and livestock, while wildlife is being devastated by climate induced disaster. The tragedy is confirmed by science— climate change is an emergency, and Africa is least responsible. We thank the Dutch Government for investing in this amazing initiative- we are in this together.”

Jock Geselschap, the Head of the Climate Team of the Inclusive Green Growth Department for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Netherlands, noted that COP26 in Glasgow did not offer the solutions needed to address the climate emergency and countries in the global south are hit much harder by climate change. “The Netherlands is in a privileged position to adapt, unlike the global south nations. I’m so proud to be associated with a project that will address the biggest challenge of our times.”

The AACJ partnership is supported by the ‘power of voices program,’ fully focused on climate justice, and led by people in the global south.

Towards Climate Justice for Vulnerable Groups

“This is a feminist struggle,” said Memory Kachambwa, Executive Director of FEMNET, reflecting on the unbearable reality of climate change borne by women at the frontlines of the crisis. “We have to fight on all fronts – inclusively and intersectionally. This is a Pan African agenda, that is bold, decolonial and feminist.  Africa needs to lead the demand for climate justice.”

Pooven Moodley, the Executive Director of Natural Justice observed that while we are reaching several tipping points, there is an acceleration of destructive extractive projects on the continent which continue to violate the rights of indigenous and local communities, further destroying territories of life. “The AACJ will provide back-up for community activists and environmental defenders to resist and offer alternatives which respect the rights of people, nature, and a more sustainable way of life. Natural Justice is honoured to be working alongside so many strong and innovative partners and look forward to our collective achievements,” she said.

Representatives from the African Youth Commission (AYC) were pleased to have a dedicated space for young people to share their specific struggles and solutions related to the climate crisis. “We are excited that AACJ will empower young people across the continent with knowledge, skills and resources to meaningfully contribute to the radical changes needed to advance climate justice,” said Kawsu Sillah, Senior Technical Advisor for AYC.

Rukia Cornelius, Oxfam’s lead for AACJ said, “As Oxfam we are committed to generating Africa-focused evidence on the impact of climate change to ensure our interventions support those most impacted- women and young people. Now more than ever, the climate crisis demands from all of us bold action to preserve our planet for generations to come.” 

The AACJ Consortium partners believe that all people have the right to live a decent and dignified life in a healthy environment. For people living on the African continent, this right is increasingly compromised by climate change. The impacts are global in scope and unprecedented in scale: from shifting weather patterns that threaten food production and rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding, to pollution in cities which increases health risks, with young people, indigenous and women bearing the brunt.

Historically, most greenhouse gas emissions have come from developed countries. Yet, the impacts of climate change have been felt most by low-income countries. Climate change is increasingly devastating the African continent, contributing to food insecurity, land degradation, population displacement and stress on water resources. Many African citizens do not yet, however, connect the multiple challenges they face to the global causes of climate change.

To contribute to an African movement for Climate Justice, the AACJ has assembled partners and networks with broad constituencies and a diversity of tools and strategies to align and strengthen existing movements, organisations and initiatives advancing the environmental rights of women, youth, and local communities. Each consortium partner has presence and influence across Africa, with relevant and complementary expertise and experience.

The AACJ project is an inclusive pan-African movement to amplify the voices of those calling for climate justice, seeking to build the capacities of groups most affected by climate change to drive the climate justice movement, and seeks to advance equity, dignity, and justice for the most vulnerable and repressed societies in Africa.