The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) is frequently characterized as the global forum where nations convene to determine the future trajectory of our planet. However, for GreenFaith Africa, as well as for communities from the arid soils of Tanzania to the vibrant streets of Lagos, the fishing hamlets along Lake Victoria, and the agricultural regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, UNEA represents considerably more than a diplomatic gathering. It serves as a vital support system, a collective expression of hope. It is a venue where voices that have borne the burdens of environmental injustice for many years can finally be acknowledged. As the adage states, “He who feels it, knows it.” African communities have experienced the profound impacts of environmental degradation with greater intensity than most.
Meryne Warah, Executive Director of GreenFaith Africa, often reminds us that “environmental justice must be shaped by the people most affected, not by institutions far removed from their struggles.” Her words echo across our work as we push for a UNEA that listens not only to presidents, ministers, and experts—but also to farmers, fishermen, youth, women’s associations, and faith leaders who see environmental change unfold before their very eyes.
Stories that Shape the Continent’s Cry
In Tanzania, I recently sat with a group of young farmers in Chamwino who spoke of seasons that no longer make sense. Rains arrive like uninvited guests, either too late, too early, or not at all. One young woman, Mariam, put it simply: “Tunalima kwa imani, si kwa uhakika.” We plant with faith, not certainty. Her words underline what data often hides: the emotional toll of climate instability on communities whose livelihoods depend on the land. For them, UNEA is not a distant negotiation; it is a promise that the world has not forgotten them.
In Nigeria, near the creeks of the Niger Delta, elders told us their rivers no longer sing the songs of their ancestors. Oil pollution has turned sacred waters into sites of sorrow. Fishermen now cast their nets with the bitter awareness that they may return home empty-handed. Yet these communities remain resilient. As one faith leader from Port Harcourt said, “Hope is the only fuel we have left, and we need the world to refill our tank.”
From Ghana, we heard stories of youth groups battling plastic pollution that chokes their beaches and communities. They lead clean-ups every month, even though new waste washes ashore every day. Despite the endless cycle, they hold on to the belief that UNEA can set standards strong enough to slow the tide, literally and figuratively.
In the DRC, where forests breathe life into the world, Indigenous communities are struggling to protect lands threatened by mining and deforestation. One elder told us, “Our trees are our libraries. When one falls, wisdom is lost.” Their fight is not only ecological, but it is also cultural, spiritual, and deeply generational.
Across Uganda, pastors and imams speak of the swelling burdens on their congregations. Droughts, floods, and crop failures have become sermons of their own, teaching faith communities to pray with one hand and plant trees with the other. They see UNEA as a rare opportunity to push for policies that safeguard their people’s future.
And in Kenya, where GreenFaith Africa’s heartbeat is loudest, communities face the twin crises of water scarcity and land degradation. One mother in Kajiado narrated how she walks longer distances each year to find water for her children. “Water is life,” she said, “but life is running away from us.” UNEA, to her, represents a chance for nations to recommit to protecting water sources and restoring the dignity that comes with access to basic resources.
Why Faith Communities Matter in This Struggle
Faith communities are the backbone of African societies. They are where people gather when storms destroy homes, when crops fail, when uncertainty becomes overwhelming. They are places of refuge, collective strength, and moral clarity. Faith leaders, sheikhs, pastors, priests, and rabbis’ influence that public policy alone can never achieve. They inspire action, challenge injustice, and remind us that environmental responsibility is not just an economic or political issue; it is a spiritual calling.
As Meryne Warah affirms, “Faith voices challenge the world to act not only from policy but from conscience.” This moral compass is vital at UNEA, where global resolutions influence local realities.
Our Expectations for UNEA
For GreenFaith Africa, the road to UNEA is paved with both urgency and expectation. We want to see the Assembly:
- Place grassroots communities at the center of decision-making, ensuring their stories inform resolutions that affect their lives.
- Unlock climate financing that flows directly to community-led projects in adaptation, resilience, and sustainable livelihoods.
- Strengthen accountability systems, ensuring countries deliver on promises made under global environmental agreements.
- Recognize and support faith-led environmental action, which mobilizes millions across Africa.
- Protect ecosystems that support food security, water access, cultural identity, and economic stability.
Because when policies falter, it is the grassroots who pay the highest price.
A Call to Courage and Collective Action
UNEA matters because Africa’s communities matter. The cries from Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana, the DRC, Uganda, and Kenya cannot remain whispers in the wilderness. They must be carried into halls where decisions shape the fate of the Earth. As Meryne Warah beautifully says, “Hope is not passive. It is built through courageous action, shaped by communities, and guided by values that honor both people and planet.” This is the hope we carry. This is the justice we seek. And this is what we expect UNEA to deliver, not tomorrow, not someday, but now.