{"id":88700,"date":"2025-10-25T18:10:05","date_gmt":"2025-10-25T18:10:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/uncategorized\/african-commission-urges-action-on-environmental-crisis"},"modified":"2025-10-25T19:17:47","modified_gmt":"2025-10-25T19:17:47","slug":"african-commission-urges-action-on-environmental-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/african-commission-urges-action-on-environmental-crisis","title":{"rendered":"African Commission Urges Action on Environmental Crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>Africa-Press &#8211; Gambia. <\/strong><\/span><b>The African Commission on Human and Peoples\u2019 Rights has highlighted the urgent need to address Africa\u2019s escalating environmental challenges during a panel discussion at its ongoing 85th Ordinary Session in Banjul.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>In his deliberation, Hon. Ernest Yaw Anim, a Ghanaian lawmaker, called for decisive and coordinated action to confront the continent\u2019s deepening environmental crisis.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAcross our continent, we are living through what can only be described as a human and environmental emergency,\u201d he said. \u201cWe see it in the advancing desertification of the Sahel, in the drying of our rivers and wetlands, in the pollution from extractive industries, and in the relentless deforestation that threatens our biodiversity and food security.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hon. Anim pointed to Ghana\u2019s struggle with illegal mining, locally known as galamsey, which he said has devastated river bodies, poisoned communities, and destroyed fertile farmland.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile our extractive industries contribute significantly to revenue generation and employment, we cannot ignore the social and environmental costs that come with irresponsible mining practices, pollution, and weak regulation,\u201d he emphasized.<\/p>\n<p>The lawmaker stressed that these are not merely environmental problems, but human rights violations. He noted that although many African countries, including Ghana, have strong environmental laws and well-structured institutions, implementation and enforcement remain weak.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe gap between policy and practice undermines our collective progress,\u201d he said. \u201cTo bridge this gap, we must invest in the capacity of regulatory institutions, ensure adequate funding, and reinforce political accountability at all levels. Without consistent enforcement and political will, even the best laws remain mere words on paper.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hon. Anim further emphasized the need for accessible justice mechanisms, whether through courts, environmental tribunals, or community-based mediation systems.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe must hold corporations to clear human rights due diligence standards,\u201d he said. \u201cBusinesses operating in Africa must not only comply with national regulations but also uphold international environmental and human rights norms.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He underscored the crucial oversight role of Parliaments, saying they occupy a pivotal space at the intersection of policy, law, and the people.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur role must be to strengthen and modernize environmental legislation; ensure effective oversight of ministries, agencies, and corporations through public hearings and audits; collaborate closely with National Human Rights Institutions to document and respond to environmental rights violations; and most importantly, listen to the communities, especially women, youth, and indigenous peoples, who bear the brunt of environmental harm daily,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>Hon. Anim concluded that Africa\u2019s environmental crisis \u201cis no longer something to manage tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur response must be ambitious, coordinated, and rooted in human rights. We must move beyond statements to systems, systems of accountability, prevention, and justice. If we succeed, Africa can lead the world, not only in recognizing the right to a healthy environment but in living it, protecting our people and our planet together,\u201d he urged.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Voke Ighorodje, Director of the International Justice Program at the REED Center, Nigeria, echoed similar concerns, warning that the planet is under immense pressure.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cForests are disappearing, oceans and rivers are choking with plastic, and temperatures are rising,\u201d he said. About 10 million hectares of forest are lost annually, species are becoming endangered or extinct, and extreme weather events, floods, droughts, and heatwaves are becoming the norm. We can no longer live in denial; the signs are everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Panelists also discussed the growing global movement to recognize ecocide, severe environmental destruction, as an international crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), alongside genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe aim is to make large-scale environmental destruction a crime of the highest order, holding corporate and government decision-makers personally accountable,\u201d Ighorodje explained.<\/p>\n<p>He noted that Africa suffers most from global environmental degradation despite contributing the least to it. \u201cOften, the damage is caused by companies from the Global North. An international law could allow personal accountability for actors from the Global North who cause ecocide and human rights devastation in Africa,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>He concluded that recognizing ecocide would bridge environmental protection and human rights enforcement.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEnvironmental destruction undermines the right to life, health, food, water, culture, and self-determination. Recognizing ecocide would help address the root causes of displacement, conflict, and poverty,\u201d Ighorodje stated.<\/p>\n<p><strong>For More News And Analysis About <span style=\"color: #ff6600\">Gambia<\/span> Follow <span style=\"color: #ff6600\">Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Africa-Press &#8211; Gambia. The African Commission on Human and Peoples\u2019 Rights has highlighted the urgent need to address Africa\u2019s escalating environmental challenges during a panel discussion at its ongoing 85th Ordinary Session in Banjul. In his deliberation, Hon. Ernest Yaw Anim, a Ghanaian lawmaker, called for decisive and coordinated action to confront the continent\u2019s deepening [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":88698,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3],"tags":[260],"class_list":["post-88700","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-community","tag-gambia"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.1 (Yoast SEO v27.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>African Commission Urges Action on Environmental Crisis - Gambia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The African Commission on Human and Peoples\u2019 Rights has highlighted the urgent need to address Africa\u2019s escalating en ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/african-commission-urges-action-on-environmental-crisis\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"African Commission Urges Action on Environmental Crisis\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The African Commission on Human and Peoples\u2019 Rights has highlighted the urgent need to address Africa\u2019s escalating en ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/african-commission-urges-action-on-environmental-crisis\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gambia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-25T18:10:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-25T19:17:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/gambia\/sites\/19\/2025\/10\/sm_1761407213.683786.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1076\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"448\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/african-commission-urges-action-on-environmental-crisis#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/african-commission-urges-action-on-environmental-crisis\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"African Commission Urges Action on Environmental Crisis\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-25T18:10:05+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-25T19:17:47+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/african-commission-urges-action-on-environmental-crisis\"},\"wordCount\":708,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/african-commission-urges-action-on-environmental-crisis#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/gambia\/sites\/19\/2025\/10\/sm_1761407213.683786.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Gambia\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"community\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/african-commission-urges-action-on-environmental-crisis#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/african-commission-urges-action-on-environmental-crisis\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/african-commission-urges-action-on-environmental-crisis\",\"name\":\"African Commission Urges Action on Environmental Crisis - 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