Climate Change Induced Conflicts in Africa: The Response of the African Union

This paper examines the extent to which existing international legal frameworks address the growing nexus between climate change and armed conflict in Africa. While the continent contributes minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, it remains disproportionately vulnerable to climate-induced environmental degradation, resource scarcity and displacement, factors that increasingly interact with existing socio-political fragilities to heighten conflict risks. Despite the growing recognition of this climate-security nexus, the adequacy of international law in responding to these challenges remains contested. Adopting a doctrinal legal methodology, the article analyses key instruments of international environmental law, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, alongside relevant principles of customary international law such as the no-harm rule and the obligations of due diligence. It further engages with jurisprudence from the International Court of Justice to evaluate the extent to which existing legal doctrines can be applied to climate-induced harm and its security implications. The article argues that, although international law provides a fragmented framework capable of addressing certain aspects of climate-related harm, it remains insufficiently equipped to deal with the complex realities of climate-induced conflict. In particular, the absence of explicit legal recognition of the climate-security nexus limits the effectiveness of existing obligations and enforcement mechanisms. The article further evaluates the emerging role of the African Union in integrating climate considerations into regional peace and security governance. The study contributes to international legal scholarship by bridging the gap between climate law and conflict analysis, and by advancing the argument for a more integrated and normatively robust legal framework capable of addressing climate-related security risks in Africa. The discussion of the 2025 African Court advisory request examines how regional human rights law may clarify climate obligations within the limits of the Court’s advisory jurisdiction.