Freetown, Sierra Leone – In the heart of Sierra Leone, amidst its lush coastal landscapes, a major turning point is unfolding in the fight for environmental rights in Africa. From February 17 to 21, 2025, activists, legal experts, and civil society leaders from across the continent gathered in Freetown for a decisive meeting that could redefine the future of environmental governance in Africa.
At the center of this historic event is the ERA Coalition (Environmental Rights Action), a pan-African movement advocating for the adoption of a regional framework for environmental rights. This gathering, which marks the end of an initial strategic phase, aims to define an ambitious five-year roadmap to strengthen environmental democracy, protect environmental and land defenders, and promote stronger legal frameworks to hold governments and corporations accountable for environmental injustices.
For several years, ERA has been tirelessly working to give a voice to frontline defenders and communities affected by environmental degradation. While legal protections exist in many African countries, their implementation is often weak, while civic space shrinks under the pressure of political and corporate forces. The urgent need for a regional treaty has never been more pressing.
Alfred Brownell, one of the key organizers of the meeting, emphasized the significance of this historic moment: “This meeting marks a turning point for environmental rights in Africa. We are not just talking about policies – we are building a movement that will ensure African communities have the legal tools they need to protect their land, waters, and livelihoods.”
During the workshop, lawyer and committed climate defender, Olivier Ndoole, expressed his belief that ERA represents a tangible hope for environmental defenders in Africa. According to him, the ERA platform is essential for strengthening the impact of environmental actions through advocacy strategies, lobbying, and further studies on Africa’s legal and social ecosystem. He also mentioned concrete legal initiatives, such as seeking advisory opinions from African jurisdictions, including the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, to strengthen the recognition of environmental rights and the protection of defenders.
The enthusiasm and determination of the participants were palpable throughout the meeting, as this was not simply a planning session: it was a collective will from African civil societies to demand environmental justice. The decisions made in Freetown will mark the beginning of the next five years of advocacy and shape national policies, paving the way for a future continental agreement on environmental rights. In a context where environmental challenges are multiplying – deforestation, land grabbing, pollution, and climate change – the urgency to act has never been so pressing. By the end of this gathering, ERA will emerge with a renewed mandate, a strengthened coalition, and a bold vision for a future where environmental rights are not only recognized but actively enforced across the continent.
Statement from Environmental and Climate Justice Defenders Gathered in Freetown, Sierra Leone
Freetown, Sierra Leone, February 20, 2025
We, the undersigned consortium of African and global civil society partners gathered in Freetown, Sierra Leone,
Deeply concerned about climate change and widespread environmental destruction in Africa, its impacts on the livelihoods of communities, and the reprisals faced by defenders working to combat these harmful effects,
Committed to advancing environmental democracy in Africa to ensure affected communities are involved in decision-making regarding policies and regulations to address climate change and environmental injustices,
Informed by our preliminary assessment conducted in 2021 to evaluate the implementation of environmental rights in certain African countries, and the need to carry out and disseminate a more comprehensive assessment of the gaps in the implementation of environmental rights across the continent to guide advocacy initiatives and decision-making processes in the interest of affected communities,
Recognizing the need for strong strategies to accelerate the implementation of environmental rights across the African continent through improvements at the regional, sub-regional, or national levels, including those that strengthen the recognition, participation, and protection of indigenous defenders, land defenders, and environmental defenders,
Noting the absence of a continental framework to guide states on the application of environmental rights and the protection of environmental and climate justice defenders, which undermines the many regional and international commitments by states to promote environmental rights and protect defenders and communities,
Committed to working with states and regional bodies, through an inclusive and participatory process, towards the development of a continental framework on environmental rights and the protection of environmental and climate justice defenders,
Convinced that this framework on environmental rights will enhance the recognition and effective implementation of environmental rights in Africa and help overcome the gaps in their implementation across the continent,
We commit to:
- Adopting a five-year action plan to advance this continental process in the interest of communities, environmental and climate justice defenders, and future generations.
- Conducting case studies in certain African countries to inform the design of this continental framework.
By KilaloPress
