POLITICAL INSTABILITY AND CLIMATE GOVERNANCE IN AFRICA SINCE THE 2010s: LEGAL CHALLENGES AND REFORM IMPERATIVES

Abstract

Though Africa contributes the least to the overall global emissions count, it is among the most
vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Mitigation and adaptation depend on effective climate
governance. This involves formulation of laws, policies, strategies and institutions to drive climate
action nationally, regionally or across the continent under the African Union (AU) and in
collaboration with the United Nations (UN). However,
political instability has made it harder for good climate policy to work. Adopting the doctrinal
legal research methodology, this work analyses the challenges of political instability and climate
governance in Africa. It was revealed that most African nations are parties to international climate
change treaties and have committed themselves to their implementation nationally. They have gone
ahead and developed climate policies, strategies and plans and have also submitted their
Nationally Determined Contributions to the UN. It was further observed that since the 2010s,
several African states have experienced periods of political instability. Military coups,
insurgencies, civil conflicts, and other security challenges in countries such as Niger, Mali, Burkina
Faso, Sudan, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have posed significant
challenges to governance, institutional effectiveness, and sustainable development. The paper
revealed that this has had significant challenges and consequences for climate governance in
Africa. The paper concluded recommending that strengthening accountability and transparency in
governance, promoting peacebuilding and enhancing regional cooperation are the ways good
climate governance can be achieved in Africa.