NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 22— African leaders, policymakers, and climate experts are calling for locally driven solutions to address the continent’s escalating climate challenges, following a landmark legal opinion that strengthens countries’ obligations to protect the global climate system.
The leaders are meeting in Nairobi for a high-level conference on states’ obligations in relation to climate change, convened by the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry in partnership with the Government of Kenya, Queen Mary University of London, Kabarak University, and the Technical University of Kenya.
The three-day forum, which began Tuesday, has brought together senior officials from East Africa and the Horn of Africa, along with representatives from the East African Community, the African Union Commission, and the United Nations, as well as legal experts, judicial officers, and civil society groups.
The conference follows an advisory opinion issued on July 23, 2025, by the International Court of Justice, which affirmed that states have binding legal obligations to protect the climate system and could face consequences for climate-related harm.
“This ruling changes the rules of the game. Climate commitments are no longer political choices. They are legal obligations, and states will be held accountable,” Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei said.
“For Kenya, this means accelerating implementation, strengthening enforcement, and ensuring that climate action is fully integrated into our development and economic decisions,” he added.
Building on the court’s opinion, participants said African countries must translate the legal momentum into practical solutions tailored to communities on the frontlines of climate change, positioning the continent not only as a victim but also as a driver of innovation and accountability.
“Climate change is not only an environmental issue or a legal issue. It is fundamentally a human and development issue,” said Éliane Ubalijoro, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF).
“Addressing it requires science, law, and policy to work together, so that we can move from principle to action and deliver real solutions for communities.”
Africa contributes less than 4 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to analyses by institutions including the African Development Bank. Yet the continent faces some of the most severe climate impacts.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says Africa is among the lowest contributors to global emissions while already experiencing widespread losses and damage across key sectors.
Climate-related hazards such as rising temperatures and recurrent droughts are driving food insecurity, while intense rainfall has triggered floods in parts of the continent, displacing communities and damaging infrastructure.
Without urgent action, experts warn these impacts could reverse development gains, constrain economic growth, and increase pressure on food systems, water resources, and livelihoods.
George Wamukoya, representing the African Group of Negotiators Experts Support, said the advisory opinion marks a turning point for global climate governance.
“It affirms that states are bound by international law and can be held accountable, even beyond specific agreements,” he said.
“The challenge now is no longer about commitments. It is about implementation, and ensuring countries have the financing needed to deliver on their climate goals.”
Participants said the legal opinion could strengthen climate policy frameworks, improve accountability, and bolster Africa’s negotiating position in global climate talks, while helping unlock fair and adequate financing aligned with climate justice principles.
The urgency is reflected by a persistent gap between climate needs and available funding.
At recent global negotiations, including the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28, countries agreed to operationalise a Loss and Damage Fund to address climate-related harm.
However, current pledges, estimated at less than $1 billion, remain far below projected needs, which are expected to reach hundreds of billions of dollars annually for developing countries.
“The advisory opinion makes it clear that climate commitments are no longer optional — they are legal obligations,” said Philip Osano, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for CIFOR-ICRAF.
“It gives developing countries stronger leverage to demand accountability and to push for the support and financing needed to meet their climate goals.”
Despite the financing gap, African countries are advancing practical solutions, including large-scale restoration and regreening programmes such as the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative, as well as climate-smart agriculture and expanding renewable energy investments.
Leaders said sustained action, backed by predictable financing and strong governance, will determine whether the legal momentum generated by the court’s opinion translates into meaningful benefits for communities across the continent.
