23/05/2026
Addressing the Africa’s Climate Paradox: Contributing less than 4% of Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions, but facing the most severe impacts.
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I can’t keep calm.
From the 21 to 23 April 2026, the Association of Young Leaders United for Sustainable Development, AJLUDD, represented by his President, attended the African States Sensitization Conference on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on the obligations of states in respect of climate change held at the CIFOR-ICRAF Campus in Nairobi Kenya. The conference was organized by the World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF), in partnership with the Institute for Climate Change and Adaptation (ICCA) at the University of Nairobi, the Kenya Foreign Service Academy, and the Centre for International Law at Queen Mary University of London in collaboration with its partners.
The Conference was convened in response to the Advisory Opinion delivered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on 23 July 2025 in the matter of Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change. Prompted by the Opinion, as well as the urgent need for immediate action, and mindful of the specific circumstances of Africa, the Conference focused on African visions and solutions for climate justice. It brought together scholars, scientists, policymakers, NGOs representatives and practitioners, and seek to bridge the gap between the legal principles contained in the Advisory Opinion and their practical implementation at international, regional, and domestic levels.
This focus carried particular relevance for Africa, given that all African States, with one exception (which has signed but not ratified), are Parties to the 2015 Paris Agreement, the global climate agreement adopted within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), yet the continent continues to experience climate impacts that are disproportionate to its contribution to global emissions.
In this regard, the African Union and African States emphasized the pursuit of climate justice as the core objective underpinning any proposed legal solutions in the advisory proceedings before the Court. The Conference situates its discussions within this context and examined the practical implications of the Advisory Opinion for African States.
The conference was enriched by expert’s presentations from different sectors, panel discussions and ICJ AO Former President to discuss the actions at international and national level. Attending from Burundi, a country that has been affected by the climate crisis such as the flooding, landslides, lac Tanganyika level rise over one decade, it was a great opportunity to me to learn how we can engage meaningfully to advance loss and damage and mostly which role can play the ICJ Advisory Opinion and our country to address all those challenges.
Many thanks to the organizers for invite us as an accredited NGO at the UN Environment Programme. It was a great opportunity to engage with global and regional climate experts and learn the role of science/researchs to address climate change.
United Nations in Burundi PNUD Burundi UNICEF Burundi IOM Burundi UN Youth Affairs Felipe Paullier
