Joining Forces for Climate Action – African and European Civil Society Perspectives

On 18 May 2021, Klima-Allianz Deutschland (Climate Alliance Germany) and VENRO are hosting the international conference Joining Forces for Climate Action – African and European Civil Society Perspectives. The event brings together political stakeholders and representatives from academia, civil society and media from Africa and Europe to highlight the urgent need for an ambitious climate policy rooted in solidarity.  Relations between the two continents and ways in which they can act together will form the main focus of the conference, taking into account the demands of civil society. The following two sets of questions will be addressed:

How can we build more sustainable, more resilient societies? What strategies and partnerships – such as the European Green Deal – will be required on an international level?
What role does civil society play in climate cooperation between the African Union and the European Union? How can civil society actors in Africa and Europe be strengthened in order to actively shape climate solidarity?
Answers to these questions are also highly significant for other international discussion processes in 2021. The UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow will be at the centre of global attention in November, under the banner of Uniting the World to Tackle Climate Change. It is similarly clear from the goals of the G7 (Build Back Better) and G20 (People, Planet, Prosperity) as well as the Petersberg Climate Dialogue and the UN Biodiversity Conference in Kunming that the global climate crisis can only be successfully tackled together.

Germany and the EU announced their intention to prioritise the cooperation with the African continent on economic and climate policy. The EU is committed to a stronger partnership with Africa in the implementation of the European Green Deal and the Africa-EU strategy. In this context, the climate conference Joining Forces for Climate Action – African and European Civil Society Perspectives aims to promote international cooperation and solidarity in pursuit of more ambitious climate goals. Civil society organisations on both continents, in their accompanying role and by bringing forward specific demands and recommendations, can help to shape strategies for climate justice. At the same time, they can ensure transparency and effectiveness in building society-wide resilience.

Please note that the event will be held in English, with French simultaneous interpretation of the plenary sessions. 
More information on the conference can be found in the programme below (available in English and French).
We kindly ask you to register for our conference until Friday, 14 May 2021, via our registration tool. The login details will be sent one day prior to the event.

The programme and registration link can be found on VENRO's website.