ECO-AFRICA TO HOST CLIMATE JUSTICE CONFERENCE 2026
Eco-Africa is set to host the second edition of its Climate Justice Conference, building on the success of its maiden event held last year, which examined the role of law and policy in advancing sustainable development through youth leadership, equitable finance, and inclusive governance.
This year’s conference focuses on one of Ghana’s most urgent environmental challenges—illegal mining, popularly known as “galamsey.”
Under the theme “Galamsey and the Environment,” the three-hour event seeks to raise awareness of the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) environmental crimes policy and explore its implications for Ghana, examine galamsey as a climate, governance, and public health crisis, while advocating for stronger accountability measures for corporations, financiers, and public officials complicit in environmental degradation.
Event Format
The one-day conference is scheduled to take place on
- Date: 17th April, 2026
- Venue: GIMPA Moot Court Auditorium.
- Time: 1:00pm
The programme will feature keynote addresses, solo presentations, and three plenary sessions focusing on:
• The macroeconomic impact of galamsey.
• Its effects on agriculture, the environment, water, and food systems.
• Youth unemployment as a driver of illegal mining.
Speakers
The conference will bring together key stakeholders and experts who will provide data-driven insights and innovative policy solutions.
The programme will feature keynote addresses, solo presentations, and three plenary sessions focusing on:
• The role of CSOs, Private Sector & Student Leadership
• Its effects on agriculture, the environment, water, and food systems.
• Youth unemployment as a driver of illegal mining.
Panel Sessions
Panel One – The Impact of Galamsey on Agriculture, Water and Food Systems
Panel Two – Role of CSOs, Private Sector & Student Leadership
Solo Presentation (5 mins)
Panel Three – Between Survival and Sustainability: Youth, Work and Galamsey
Event Moderators
As illegal mining (galamsey) continues to devastate major rivers, farmlands, and public health, the conference confronts a defining question:
Should environmental destruction be treated as a crime, not just a regulatory failure?
I personally think it should be treated as a crime only when measures are put in place to secure an active system as alternatives to prevent citizens from destroying the environment.
As some destruction tend to be the only solution they see. For instance if we want to treat dumping refuge carelessly, then we should be able to create a system for proper waste management. And of course we do not expect the average Ghanaian and below to pay monthly for the wastes to be managed.