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Publication

Climate Justice: African Perspectives & EU Policies – a call for action

Author: Anne van der Meer

 

Climate change is the biggest challenge we face in the world today. Everywhere we see its impact. People are struggling with the devastating effects in their daily lives. For African countries this is becoming more challenging every year.

Even though they are historically least responsible for causing climate change, the African region is hit hardest by its consequences. The most important decisions regarding climate action are often made by those who do not feel the biggest impact and who generally have better capabilities to deal with climate change themselves. Not everyone affected by climate change is able to make their voice heard in the decision-making processes.

When it comes to climate policies within the European Union, questions of climate justice are rarely prioritised. Within many other policy areas there is often little coherence between climate promises and policies, due to a lack of regard for the consequences they have on marginalised groups elsewhere. African perspectives are additionally not sufficiently taken into account.

Read the Policy Study

As part of the research project ‘Climate justice: African perspectives’, FEPS (Foundation for European Progressive Studies) with in cooperation with FMS (Foundation Max van der Stoel) are launching a new policy study showing the impact of climate change on the African continent, as told by Africans themselves, and discussing the role of the EU itself in its climate policies, as well as other policies that impact Africa. The study offers policy recommendations to the European Union to ease the process of a climate-just transition.

Watch the event