In March 2026, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights adopted the first resolution dedicated to access to climate and environmental information. A new primer from the International Press Institute (IPI) explains what this resolution asks of African states, and how access to environmental information helps them meet their committments under plans like the African Union Agenda 2063 and U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.
Access to information is a right under Article 9 of the African Charter, and the practical basis for reporting on mining, gas, logging, pollution, and land. The resolution links it directly to Article 24, the right to a satisfactory environment, and recognises for the first time the essential role of climate and environmental journalists in informing the public and holding power to account.
Journalists and communities still face major barriers: weak implementation of existing laws, limited proactive disclosure, records fragmented across institutions or published in technical language, lengthy request procedures, and reprisals against those who ask. The primer offers five practical measures states can take, covering disclosure and records management, legal and institutional frameworks, barriers to environmental reporting, private sector transparency, and the protection of public interest reporting.