Greenpeace Africa calls on ministers to uphold environmental commitments and resist industry pressure at the key continental summit.
As the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) convenes in Nairobi, Greenpeace Africa, alongside other civil society organizations, is calling for bold and transformative outcomes.
With ministers from all 54 African nations gathering at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters, the continent faces a defining moment to demonstrate strong leadership on pressing environmental issues, chief among them, plastic pollution, climate justice, and forest protection.
This 20th session of AMCEN is especially significant because its outcomes will shape Africa’s collective position in upcoming global environmental negotiations, such as COP30, UNEA-7, and INC-5.2 on plastic pollution.
Greenpeace Africa is urging ministers to prioritize three critical areas:
- Upholding commitments to a strong global plastics treaty
- Ensuring polluters pay for climate damages
- Protecting forests through direct community financing and rights recognition
Ministers are urged to reaffirm the bold stance taken during AMCEN Decision 19/2, which called for a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty that addresses pollution across its full lifecycle, from production to disposal.
Considering that the treaty negotiations are entering a critical stage at INC-5.2 in Geneva this August, any weakening of Africa’s position would undermine the continent’s credibility and environmental ambitions.
Rather, the importance of a unified voice would mean collective efforts championed to ensure the continent can rise above the triple planetary crisis that keeps worsening in intensity and frequency.
According to Hellen Dena, Project Lead of Greenpeace Africa’s Pan African Plastic Project, the plastic pollution crisis is disproportionately affecting African communities, as evidenced by the open burning and illegal dumping.
This occurrence is most common in low-income areas, where microplastics and toxic chemicals infiltrate food chains, making it apparent that the most vulnerable often bear the brunt of this crisis.
She emphasized, “AMCEN must resist industry pressure and maintain its call for caps on plastic production in the Global Plastics Treaty.”
A recent Greenpeace Oxfam study reveals that 81% of respondents across 13 African countries support taxing oil and gas companies to fund climate recovery, including 85% in Kenya and 80% in South Africa.
“AMCEN must champion climate reparations and ensure that those who have profited most from environmental destruction are held accountable,” said Sherelee Odayar, Oil and Gas Campaigner at Greenpeace Africa. “This is not just about environmental policy; it’s about justice for communities facing the worst climate impacts.
As deforestation accelerates across the continent, Greenpeace Africa is urging ministers to implement robust action plans that prioritize Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs).
It’s crucial now more than ever that these communities are supported and granted direct access to climate finance and full recognition of their rights as stewards of Africa’s forests, as they have co-existed for decades.
“African forests are being decimated while those who have protected them for generations are increasingly sidelined,” said Dr. Lamfu Yengong, Greenpeace Africa’s Lead Forest Campaigner. “AMCEN must deliver direct financing and uphold the rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, who are our most effective guardians.
AMCEN’s decisions will play a pivotal role in shaping Africa’s negotiating stance on the global stage. As critical summits like COP30 in Brazil and UNEA-7 in Nairobi approach, a united, courageous voice from the continent is more vital than ever.
“Africa’s strength lies in its unity,” said Koaile Monaheng, Greenpeace Africa’s Pan-African Political Strategist. “Our leaders must act with courage, not caution, with conviction, not compromise. The people of Africa demand action, and AMCEN must deliver.”
