By Linda Makau,
As the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) marks its 40th anniversary, the continent stands at a critical crossroads. Africa is home to 30% of the world’s mineral reserves, 17% of its forests, and the youngest population on the planet. Yet it also bears the brunt of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. The question is no longer if Africa will develop—but how. Will it follow a path of extractive, resource-heavy growth? Or will it carve out a new trajectory—one defined by sustainability, equity, and innovation?
This fundamental question lies at the heart of AMCEN’s legacy and future. Established in 1985, AMCEN has grown into the continent’s premier environmental policy body. With its secretariat hosted by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), AMCEN has been instrumental in shaping Africa’s unified voice on the global stage—from the Paris Agreement on climate change to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Through platforms like the African Group of Negotiators (AGN), AMCEN has ensured that African interests are not just represented, but prioritized, in international environmental discourse.
In her opening remarks ,during the conference, Dr. Rose Mwebaza noted the growing impacts of environmental degradation and emphasized the importance of homegrown solutions. She made a call for AMCEN to continue working closely with African governments , as it reflects the importance of crafting policies that are rooted in our realities, led by our people, and responsive to our unique challenges.
Dr. Jihane EL Gaouzi from the African Union aptly reminded us to revisit AMCEN’s legacy of dedication and resilience. She acknowledged the strengthening of regional frameworks and underlined the need to identify and address existing policy and implementation gaps. Her affirmation of the AU’s unwavering commitment to working with AMCEN to advance Agenda 2063 was both reassuring and motivating.
Now celebrating four decades under the theme “Four Decades of Environmental Action in Africa: Reflecting on the Past and Imagining the Future,” AMCEN-20 is not just a commemoration—it’s a call to action.
Africa has demonstrated environmental leadership time and again. In 2023, AMCEN adopted Decision 19/2, reinforcing Africa’s commitment to a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty. Already, 34 out of 54 African countries have implemented bans on single-use plastics—a powerful testament to the continent’s proactive stance. However, as the final negotiations (INC-5.2) for the treaty approach in Geneva this August, civil society organizations are urging African ministers to maintain a firm position against industry pressure.
“The plastic pollution crisis is disproportionately affecting African communities,” said Hellen Dena, Project Lead for the Pan African Plastic Project. “It’s critical that AMCEN resists backtracking and upholds its call for production caps in the treaty.” Climate finance emerged as a central theme at AMCEN-20. Speaking on behalf of the African Group of Negotiators, Tanzania’s Dr Richard Muyungi announced a bold demand: a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) of at least USD 1.3 trillion per year by 2035, grounded in equity and historical responsibility—not debt.
Rose Mwebaza, Director of UNEP’s Regional Office for Africa, emphasized the scale of the challenge:
“Africa is warming faster than the global average. Livelihoods are being disrupted and millions of lives are lost due to environmental pressures like food insecurity and conflict. The time for transformative, well-financed action is now.”
Dr. Rose MWEBAZA
Reports from UNEP and the World Meteorological Organization estimate that the continent needs at least USD 30 billion annually for climate adaptation through 2030, underscoring the urgency of meeting this financial gap.
AMCEN’s 40th anniversary also amplified calls for justice in environmental governance. Dr Lamfu Yengong, Greenpeace Africa’s Lead Forest Campaigner, highlighted a critical gap: “African forests are being decimated while those who have protected them for generations are sidelined. AMCEN must ensure direct finance and recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities—our most effective guardians of biodiversity.”
This sentiment echoes a broader call for AMCEN’s next phase to be bolder, more inclusive, and more ambitious. Environmental stakeholders have demanded that youth, women, indigenous peoples, and civil society be empowered as co-creators of environmental solutions—not just passive beneficiaries. AMCEN’s forward-looking agenda is deeply aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which envisions an environmentally sustainable, prosperous, and peaceful Africa. For this vision to materialize, AMCEN must evolve.
Key priorities for AMCEN post-2024 include:
- Scaling up climate finance and ensuring Africa receives its fair share of global adaptation funds.
- Strengthening science-policy interfaces, making data-driven decisions the norm across ministries.
- Accelerating digital innovation and environmental governance to fast-track sustainable development.
- Championing Africa’s proactive role in setting—not just responding to—global environmental agendas.
Robert Wabunoha, UNEP’s Regional Coordinator for Environmental Governance, emphasized how good governance, digital transformation, and regional cooperation can unlock the continent’s full potential.
As ministers prepare to adopt the Nairobi Declaration—which will guide Africa’s environmental diplomacy through 2027—civil society actors stress that unity remains Africa’s greatest strength. The outcomes of AMCEN-20 will directly influence Africa’s stance at upcoming forums including COP30 in Brazil and UNEA-7 in 2026. Any retreat from Africa’s strong positions—particularly on plastics and climate finance—could undermine decades of hard-won progress. “The world is watching,” warned one civil society leader. “AMCEN has proven that when Africa speaks with one voice, it is a voice that cannot be ignored. That unity must endure.”
As AMCEN turns 40, it holds more than a legacy—it holds a mandate. The next chapter must be one of transformation, rooted in justice, innovation, and resilience. AMCEN must remain the heartbeat of Africa’s environmental vision—a forum not just for policy, but for people; not just for planning, but for action. The road to a sustainable, inclusive Africa is clear. The time to walk it boldly—together—is now.
The time has never been more critical for Africa to foster and maintain common positions on climate and environmental matters. As emphasized by experts at AMCEN’s 40th anniversary, Africa is not where we want it to be in terms of sustainability. The continent is disproportionately affected by climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution—challenges that continue to undermine hard-won development gains. There is an urgent need to restore and reinforce the continent’s avenues for conservation and natural resource preservation.
The African Group of Negotiators (AGN), as highlighted by several speakers, has become a model for effective collaboration. Africa is now able to speak in one voice, a shift that significantly strengthens our collective influence in global negotiations. This unity must be preserved and deepened, especially as we face complex negotiations like the upcoming INC-5.2 on the Global Plastics Treaty.
As civil society continues to call for a bolder, more ambitious AMCEN—particularly on issues like plastic pollution—I believe Africa has an opportunity not just to participate in global conversations, but to shape them. INC-5.2 offers a platform for Africa to lead by example, advocating for strong production caps and a lifecycle approach to ending plastic pollution. This is a moment for AMCEN to assert the continent’s environmental priorities with clarity and courage.
In conclusion, common African positions are not merely strategic—they are necessary. Unity is our strength, and collaboration is our path forward. For the sake of our people, our ecosystems, and our future, we must continue to speak—and act—as one.
