African civil society organisations are urging African environment ministers attending the Twentieth Ordinary Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN-20) to prioritise three critical areas, namely committing themselves to supporting a strong plastics treaty, making fossil fuel corporations pay taxes to fund climate recovery, and to make a strong commitment to implementation of deforestation action plans.
Bringing together ministers from all 54 African countries at a time when decisive action on plastic pollution, climate justice, and biodiversity loss is “more urgent than ever”, Greenpeace Africa, urged the group to reaffirm the visionary leadership demonstrated previous AMCEN gatherings, which loudly called for a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty, to address pollution across its entire lifecycle.
With negotiations entering a critical phase at the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (JNC-5.2) in Geneva this August, any retreat from Africa’s strong position would undermine the continent’s unified voice and environmental goals, said Hellen Dena, Greenpeace’s Lea, Pan African Plastic Project.
“The plastic pollution crisis is disproportionately affecting African communities. From open burning and illegal waste dumping in low-income communities, to the health threats of microplastics and toxic chemicals, it is often the most vulnerable that bear the brunt of this crisis. AMCEN must resist industry pressure and maintain its call for plastics production caps in the Global Plastics Treaty,” she added.
On the other hand, making oil and gas companies pay for climate damage was already a popular idea across the continent, the group said, explaining that polling data had revealed popular public support.
As high as 81 per cent of respondents from 13 African countries supported taxes on fossil fuel companies to fund climate recovery, a Greenpeace-Oxfam study in June had shown, including 85 per cent in Kenya and 80 per cent in South Africa.
“AMCEN must champion reparations for climate damages and ensure that those who profited most from environmental destruction contribute to addressing the damage. This is not just environmental policy but a matter of justice for communities suffering the worst climate impacts,” noted Sherelee Odayar, Greenpeace Africa Oil and Gas Campaigner.
Implementing actions that reverse deforestation across Africa must also be centred on indigenous peoples and local communities, recognising their right to access to finance, besides appreciating them as frontline forest conservationists.
“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 the Indigenous Peoples and local communities who are the most effective guardians of our biodiversity,” said Lamfu Yengong, Greenpeace Africa’s Lead Forest Campaigner.
This is becoming more urgent, he explained, as deforestation was accelerating across the continent and posed a threat to the existence of forest peoples as well as people living near protected areas.
AMCEN’s outcomes will directly shape Africa’s positions at major international forums, including the 30th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP 30) in Belem, Brazil, and the 7th United Nations Environment Assembly that will take place in December 2025 in Nairobi.
The session taking place July 14-18, also marks the 40th anniversary of AMCEN, and will come up with Africa’s common position in upcoming global environmental fora including the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands to be held in Harare, Zimbabwe, and the Thirty-Seventh Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer to be held in Nairobi, Kenya.
According to Greenpeace, adopting common positions on issues is important in ensuring that African priorities are not compromised in the upcoming key global negotiations.
The gathering is taking place under the theme of “Four Decades of Environmental Action in Africa: Reflecting on the Past and Imagining the Future.”
During the meeting, ministers and experts will review progress made in the implementation of the decisions adopted at previous ordinary and tenth special sessions of AMCEN and identify and agree on Africa’s environmental priorities for the next two years.
Ongoing sessions consist of dialogues on “key accelerators” for achieving the Agenda 2030 and Africa’s Agenda 2063. At the end of the conference, the ministers will adopt a declaration, a set of decisions, and key messages reflecting the discussions under the various agenda items.