Eponine Signe Noumbou, Attendee at the Nottingham Doctoral Symposium, member of the Hands on Heart Association and Women In Climate Change
Photo by Edouard TAMBA on Unsplash
***This blog is one of the contributions from participants at the Nottingham Doctorial Symposium, a joint doctoral conference organised by PhD students from Nottingham Trent University and Nottingham University***
Climate change, defined as long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns due to the increased concentration of greenhouse gases, impacts every region on Earth. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 stresses the need for urgent action to address climate change and its repercussions. This has led to the emergence of the concept of “climate justice”: Climate justice is defined as a concept linking development and human rights to achieve a people-centred approach to climate change, ensuring the rights of the most vulnerable are protected and that the burdens and benefits of climate change are distributed equitably.
In Cameroon, the effects of climate change are profound, manifesting in altered temperatures and rainfall patterns, and increased droughts. According to Country Climate and Development Report: Cameroon, these changes worsen the risks of poverty and famine, particularly for the nearly 40% of vulnerable households. An estimated 2 million people live in drought-affected areas under current climatic conditions, reflecting the country’s high vulnerability.
One of the major reasons for this vulnerability is Cameroon’s uneven population distribution which contributes to the degradation of arable land and forest landscapes, especially in the northern regions and western highlands. The rural population, largely dependent on agriculture and pastoralism, faces increasing threats to their livelihoods as land productivity declines, potentially contributing to the ongoing heightened rural-urban migration in the country.
Cameroon has committed to addressing climate change through its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and has integrated these commitments into its National Development Strategy (NDS30). One of the strategy’s key objectives is to “Strengthen measures to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change (...) to ensure sustainable and inclusive economic growth and social development.”
Despite these commitments, Cameroon faces significant challenges, particularly in its northern regions, which are critically impacted by climate change. The Far North Region, for example, experiences a 30,000-ton cereal deficit and a food insecurity rate of 33.6%. The presence of over 280,000 refugees and displaced persons further strains natural resources like water and pasture.
In this context, the state directs much of its limited financial resources toward addressing immediate social issues such as health, food security, and post-disaster recovery. However, without significant improvements in the resilience of the Sudano-Sahelian regions, as well as the West and North-West regions, the state’s resources will remain insufficient to meet the climate change challenges. Security concerns also complicate the situation, with regions like the Far North and the North-West/South-West facing instability from Boko Haram and other separatist groups which further erode the resilience of the economy.
Between 2015 and 2020, Cameroon mobilised around USD 162.35 million for climate-related activities under the Paris Agreement, representing 70.84% of the total national and international funding available to the country. However, this amount falls short of what is required to address the country’s needs effectively.
Climate Justice in Cameroon
In Cameroon, this means acknowledging that climate change disproportionately affects different territories and social classes, with the poorest, often rural populations, being the most severely impacted.
This raises a question: can Cameroon’s legal framework effectively provide rural populations with access to climate justice?
The 1996 revision of Cameroon’s Constitution explicitly states in Article 21 that “Everyone has the right to a healthy environment. The protection of the environment is a duty for all, and the State shall ensure the defence and protection of the environment.” this amendment reflected the commitment of the Parliament of Cameroon at the time, to environmental issues. Cameroon has implemented several legal measures to address climate change, such as joining the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and developing a National Climate Change Adaptation Plan (NCCAP). The plan serves as a strategy to guide adaptation efforts across the country.
Moreover, the National Observatory on Climate Change (NOCC) was established in 2009 to monitor and assess the socio-economic and environmental impacts of climate change and to propose preventive, mitigative, and adaptive measures. However, challenges remain, including the limited resources available for adaptation and the exacerbation of social and economic inequalities by environmental injustices.
A recent study reveals that 56% of Cameroonians consider the government’s response to climate change unsatisfactory, citing persistent deforestation and plastic pollution as major concerns. Furthermore, 48% believe that current adaptation policies are ineffective.
Challenges in Enforcing Climate Justice
In Cameroonian environmental law, the administration responsible for environmental issues has the authority to prosecute environmental violations alongside the Public Prosecutor’s Office. However, the effectiveness of this legal framework is limited. For example, the administrative courts lack the power to compel the state to amend its climate regulations, and judges, appointed by the executive branch, may be reluctant to challenge government policies.
Hurdles to accessing climate justice in Cameroon are made greater because environmental law is inherently complex, requiring a deep understanding of the subject matter. This complexity, coupled with a lack of available experts, often impedes the effective enforcement of climate justice. Without changes in the capacity of stakeholders involved in environmental protection, and increased awareness among rural populations about their climate rights, climate justice will continue to be out of reach for those who most need it.
Awareness-raising campaigns, legal education, and the production of educational materials in local languages can help bridge the gap between rural populations and access to climate justice. By empowering these communities with knowledge and resources, they can better navigate the legal system and advocate for their rights.
Access to Justice for Rural Populations
Access to justice for rural populations is crucial, particularly in the face of mining companies’ reluctance to comply with environmental regulations. Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) play an essential role in facilitating access to climate justice. The framework law on environmental management recognises their contribution to environmental protection and public participation in environmental decision-making. However, challenges remain, including the complexity of legal procedures, the lack of expertise within civil society, and the influence of powerful mining companies.
Accessing justice can be prohibitively expensive for impoverished rural populations, with existing poverty being further exacerbated by the impacts of climate change. Although Cameroonian law allows for free legal services for indigent persons, this assistance is often limited to legal personnel and does not cover court costs, which can be a significant barrier for those seeking climate justice in rural regions.
Moreover, legal services are concentrated in urban areas, making them difficult to access for those in rural regions. Corruption within the legal system also hinders the pursuit of justice, especially when powerful mining companies can be seen to have significant influence on the administration of climate justice.
Conclusion
The pursuit of climate justice in Cameroon faces many challenges, particularly for rural populations. While the government has made substantial strides in addressing climate change through the introduction of legal frameworks and national strategies, the implementation of these measures remains insufficient. Rural populations, disproportionately affected by climate change, face noteworthy barriers to accessing justice, including financial constraints, complex legal procedures, and limited access to legal services.
To ensure climate justice is achieved, it is imperative to strengthen the capacity of all stakeholders, including civil society, and to raise awareness among rural communities about their rights. Only through collective efforts can Cameroon effectively address the impacts of climate change and ensure that the most vulnerable populations are protected.
Further Readings
IPCC Glossary: https://apps.ipcc.ch/glossary/
Law No. 96-06 of 18 January 1996, Revising the Constitution of 2 June 1972.
Law No. 96/12 of 5 August 1996, Relating to Environmental Management.
Decree No. 2009/410 of 10 December 2009 on the Creation, Organisation, and Operation of the National Climate Change Observatory.
J-C. Tcheuwa: “Environmental Concerns in Cameroonian Positive Law,” Environmental Law Review, No. 1, 2006, p. 25.
M. Petsoko: “Reflection on the Effectiveness and Efficiency of the Implementation of Climate Justice in Africa,” African Journal of Environmental Law, No. 8, 2023, Climate Justice and Extractive Industries in African Law.
V. Jaworski: “The Criminal Aspect of Order No. 2012-34 of 11 January 2012,” Environmental Law Review, 2013/2, p. 225.
F. Tchoca Fanikoua: The Contribution of Environmental Criminal Law to the Repression of Environmental Offenses in Benin, Thesis, University of Maastricht, 2012, p. 84.
F.A. Mpinda: From the Special Judicial Police, PUA, 2019, p. 22.
P. Oumba: “The Contribution of Administrative Law to the Repair of Environmental Damage in Cameroon,” Revue de Droit Administratif, 2014, p. 198.
C. Larrère: “Environmental Inequalities and Climate Justice,” Annales des Mines - Responsibility and Environment, 2015/3, pp. 73-77.
L. Feukeng & R. Jovial Ndjeudja: “Cameroonians Dissatisfied with Government Response to Climate Crisis,” Greenpeace, 20 February 2023. Link
E. Guneyli: “Earth Climate Media: Cameroon's Vulnerability to Climate Change,” 23 October 2018. Link
Nationally Determined Contribution – Updated: 21 September 2021. Link
National Territory Sustainable Planning and Development Scheme (SNADDT, Diagnostic 2018). Link
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