Understanding the African Group of Negotiators in the multilateral negotiations on climate change

ABSTRACT

This article examines the performance of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) in global climate change negotiations. It provides theoretical insights on the priorities of the AGN, outlines how the African region self-organises in situations of regime complexity and critically analyses the inherent characteristics that create unique constraints to meaningful participation of the AGN in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The study finds that the political mandate of the AGN together with the consistent technical support from climate-focused continental institutions have strengthened the AGN in these negotiations, where the group has had a consistent set of priorities. The article also highlights areas that could enhance the performance of the AGN, including a critical examination of the effect of multiple coalition membership. The conclusion is that as subordinate actors the AGN is effectively contesting the rules and practices of contemporary global climate governance.

KEYWORDS:

• African Group of Negotiators
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
• Conference of the Parties
• climate change negotiations
• multiple coalition membership
• climate change adaptation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

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Additional information

Notes on contributors

Brian Mantlana

Brian Mantlana holds a PhD from the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands. The PhD thesis was on the ecophysiology of terrestrial ecosystems. He did this study while based at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry in Jena, Germany. Brian has led South Africa’s and Africa delegations in the climate change negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change on forestry issues (2006–2011) and on climate change transparency (2012–2016). Brian is one of the Commissioners that were appointed by the South African President that make up the Presidential Commission on Climate Change. Currently he leads the climate change team at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in Pretoria.

Basanda Nondlazi

Basanda Nondlazi has over 18 years research experience and holds an MSc from the University of the Witwatersrand and a PhD from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in the South Africa. The PhD thesis was on the ecological remote sensing classification and monitoring wetland ecosystems for national and international reporting. He did this study while based at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. He has led South Africa’s delegations for BRICS youth in Russia. Basanda has also been part of the South African delegation to the BRICS Young Scientist Forum. Currently Basanda is a researcher in the Climate Services research group at the at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in Pretoria.