Riding on the back of a weeklong action and African People’s Counter COP organized by the African Climate Justice Network and Africa ahead of the 27th Conference of Parties (COP27) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change scheduled to take place in November 2022 in Sharm El-Sheik, Egypt, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) launched a four-country report that examined the impacts of climate change in frontline communities at an online meeting which held on October 21st, 2022. The meeting featured a total of fifty-eight (58) participants from countries in Africa such as Nigeria, Togo, Cameroon, South Africa, Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, and Uganda.[spacer height=”25px”]
CAPPA’s report featured stories of climate change told by residents of vulnerable communities in Okun Alfa, Eti Osa Local Government area of Lagos State, Nigeria; Kakou and Ouro Garga communities in Northern Cameroon; Doevi Kope community in Baguda District, Togo; and Kathlehong and Eldorado Park in South Africa.[spacer height=”25px”]
Information from the report also highlighted varying challenges encountered by vulnerable communities navigating the devastating impacts of climate change. As the climate crisis deepens, frontline communities in Africa continue to experience rising health, economic, cultural, food, security, and social challenges. While there are a number of policies and institutional frameworks that cater to climate change in Nigeria, the implementation of climate actions and enforcement of policy provisions that secure the welfare of vulnerable communities is weak. The vulnerability of African communities to the impacts of climate change is further worsened by unhealthy schemes of corporations such as oil multinationals and big polluters that often despoil environments in the course of resource extraction and, for profit-driven interests.[spacer height=”25px”]
Accordingly, the report urged state authorities, civil society organizations, the media and environmental justice defenders to rev up actions to mitigate the harsh effects of climate change in communities and hold polluting corporations accountable in order to address the plights of frontline communities and guide against additional infractions.[spacer height=”25px”]