On Monday, October 28, 2024, a coalition of African climate justice advocates launched the “Make Big Polluters Pay” (MBPP) Storytelling Platform, a digital space aimed at elevating the voices of communities on the front line of the continent’s climate crisis.
Accessible at talesofafricasclimate.org, the platform seeks to illuminate the human impact of extractive industries and foster a sense of collective resilience and accountability in the fight against climate change.
Designed as a “virtual fireplace,” the website hosts a monthly gathering where MBPP partners and affected communities share their lived experiences, painting a vivid picture of the struggles and hopes surrounding Africa’s climate justice movement.
The stories featured offer insights into the exploitation and environmental devastation caused by transnational corporations, challenging false solutions and proposing sustainable alternatives unique to the continent.
Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director of the Centre for Anti-Pollution and Public Advocacy (CAPPA), praised the platform’s launch as a crucial step in bringing the continent's climate justice narrative to the forefront.
“Africa is on the frontlines of the climate crisis, but our stories often go unheard,” he said. “If we don't tell our stories, no one will tell them for us,” he added.
Oluwafemi urged the coalition’s members and allies to view the platform as a communal resource, inviting contributions that would shed light on the challenges faced by African communities.
Echoing this sentiment, Hellen Neima, Corporate Accountability Africa’s Climate Director and coordinator of the Africa MBPP coalition, drew a parallel between the platform and Africa’s rich oral storytelling traditions.
“In the spirit of tradition and innovation, we’ve ignited a virtual fireplace for storytelling, allowing communities to share their struggles and inspire collective action for climate justice,” she said.
The MBPP coalition, which currently consists of 14 partners across Africa, is dedicated to holding major polluters accountable.
Partners often work directly with frontline communities, supporting them in documenting the devastating social, economic, and environmental impacts of extractive industries.
Neima emphasized that the platform serves as a repository for these experiences, positioning African communities at the forefront of global climate discussions.
For Ndivile Mokena, a representative from South Africa-based Gender CC – Women for Climate Justice, the storytelling platform is vital for raising awareness of Africa’s untold climate stories.
“This platform enables us, as Africans, to stand united, voice our opinions, and demand our rights, especially in terms of reparations and climate justice,” Mokena stated.
“By sharing our challenges, we are challenging the systems that dehumanize our communities and devastate our environment,” added Mokena.
CAPPA’s Senior Programme Manager, Olamide Martins Ogunlade, stressed the urgency of treating climate justice as a matter of equity, not charity.
“The evidence we gather here will be crucial in arguing that climate justice be taken off the charity list of the Global North,” Ogunlade said, underscoring the need for actionable commitments from industrialized nations.
Journalists were also called upon to amplify Africa’s climate justice narrative, as Robert Egbe, Media Officer at CAPPA, noted the disproportionate impact of climate change on African communities due to industrial activities by countries in the Global North.
The launch concluded with solidarity messages from MBPP partners, affirming a shared commitment to elevating African voices in the global climate discourse.
Through this new digital space, Africa Make Big Polluters Pay coalition aims to ensure that African communities are not just seen but heard, advancing the call for accountability and reparations in the fight for climate justice.
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