PAMOJA for the Planet: Can East Africa’s CHAN 2024 Football Tournament Tackle Climate Change and Environmental degradation?

 

In East Africa, football is more than a sport—it's a cultural force that unites millions across borders, classes, and generations. Major football tournaments, especially the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024, command national attention and emotional investment.

The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) officially launched CHAN 2024 under the banner PAMOJA, a Swahili term meaning unity. According to CAFOnline.com, this edition of CHAN will be the largest ever, featuring nineteen teams. For the first time in history, it will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, with matches played in Zanzibar City, Dar es Salaam, Kampala, and Nairobi from 2 to 30 August 2025.

More than a slogan, PAMOJA embodies togetherness, shared ambition, and solidarity. It reflects the values that football embodies—teamwork, collaboration, and unity. In the same spirit, CHAN 2024 presents a rare and timely opportunity to address East Africa’s pressing environmental and climate challenges. The tournament can serve as a powerful vehicle to promote citizen-led environmental consciousness, sustainable consumption, and grassroots climate action.

A Platform for Environmental Awareness

Tournaments like CHAN 2024 attract millions of viewers across the continent, offering unparalleled visibility for climate-related messaging. Environmental campaigns can be integrated into match broadcasts, stadium branding, merchandise, and fan zones. Messages on reducing plastic use, conserving water, and climate resilience could be shared during halftime or pre-match programming (UNEP, 2021).

Footballers—widely admired across East Africa—can act as climate ambassadors. Players from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania could use their platforms to promote sustainable habits, such as using public transport, planting trees, and conserving energy. When these influencers advocate for the planet, fans are far more likely to follow (UNFCCC, 2022).

Modelling Sustainable Consumption

CHAN 2024 offers a stage to demonstrate real-world sustainable practices. CAF and local organisers ought to:

• Ban single-use plastics and/or promote their responsible disposal
• Promote reduction, recycling, and reuse of waste; and highlight other eco-friendly practices in places where fans, footballers and officials will be accommodated.
• Power stadiums with solar energy and incorporate energy efficiency and conservation equipment, and highlight good practices
• Offer locally sourced foods (especially plant–based) in support of the host economies

These actions can educate fans and vendors about the feasibility of low-impact living (CAF, 2022). Uganda’s stadiums could partner with eco-startups for biodegradable food packaging. Kenya might pilot clean energy buses for transporting fans. These are not just ideas—they’re scalable solutions.

Mobilising Grassroots Climate Action

Football can catalyse community-led environmental action. Local fan festivals that build on national-level momentum in the 3 host countries can include:

• Tree planting drives, for example, taking advantage of the Running out of Trees (ROOTs) Campaign in Uganda, whose ambition is to plant 40 Million Trees per year until 2026 for the first phase of the programme.
• Waste clean-ups, efficient water use and heightened community awareness to have clean and safe water in urban neighbourhoods
• Youth climate workshops and barazas in support of greener enterprises and practices

This strengthens community ownership of environmental solutions (Green Africa Foundation, 2023). Moreover, all nineteen teams in the CHAN 2024 finals, guided by CAF, could adopt an Environmental Charter in the spirit of PAMOJA, committing to sustainability on and off the pitch. After all, the triple planetary crisis—climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution—won’t wait for us. We must act together, now. This should be treated in the same way as fair play, where a set of ethical principles and values guides players, coaches, officials, and fans to ensure a positive and respectful environment within football as a sport.

Driving Long-Term Change

To ensure lasting impact, East Africa’s football federations should collaborate with environmental NGOs, ministries, and international frameworks like the UN’s Sports for Climate Action Framework (Sport and Dev, 2022). Action areas include:

• Building green stadiums and other sports platforms in terms of energy, water and other resource use, sustainable consumption practices, and offering learning opportunities for all fans and other stakeholders during CHAN and other sports events.
• Embedding climate education in CHAN and other sports tournaments’ programming
• Promoting sustainable consumption at all levels of the sport during CHAN and other national and regional sports tournaments

By institutionalising sustainability, CHAN 2024 can set a precedent for climate-smart sports across the continent.

Conclusion

The TotalEnergies CAF CHAN 2024 is more than a celebration of African talent. It is a historic opportunity to show how football—East Africa’s most beloved game—can lead the way in tackling climate change and environmental degradation. Through unity (PAMOJA), football can inspire millions to build a greener, more sustainable future—and redefine what winning looks like, on and off the pitch!

References

• UNEP. (2021). Playing for the Planet: How Sports Can Deliver on Climate Goals. unep.org
• UNFCCC. (2022). Sports for Climate Action Framework. unfccc.int
• TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024
• CAF. (2022). CAF Environmental Sustainability Guidelines.
• Green Africa Foundation. (2023). Community Environmental Outreach through Sports.
• Sport and Dev. (2022). Sport and the Sustainable Development Goals. sportanddev.org

From Frying Pans to Fuel: How East Africa Can Turn Used Cooking Oil into a Clean Energy Resource

                                             Photo: ECOIL

Used cooking oil (UCO) is an unavoidable byproduct of food preparation, especially in the rapidly urbanising, multi-ethnic communities of East Africa. Yet, precise data on the total volume of UCO generated across the region remains scarce. Most available sources focus instead on edible oil consumption and revenue rather than waste collection or disposal.

For instance, according to Statista, the edible oil market in Eastern Africa is projected to generate approximately US$3.14 billion by 2025, with consumption expected to reach around 678 million kilograms by 2030. In Uganda alone, edible oil demand in 2021 stood at 120,000 metric tonnes, while local production reached only 40,000 metric tonnes, resulting in an annual deficit of 80,000 metric tonnes (Daily Monitor, January 2, 2021). This shortfall pushes consumers and vendors to stretch the use of cooking oil to its limits.

From bustling street vendors in growing cities to busy restaurant kitchens, large volumes of oil are used daily to meet East Africa’s increasing appetite for fried foods. But what happens once the oil is no longer suitable for cooking? This often-overlooked question has major implications for public health, environmental sustainability, and energy security.

The Environmental Cost of Improper Disposal

In many East African cities, used cooking oil is typically discarded by pouring it down drains or dumping it into open landfills. These methods carry serious environmental consequences. When introduced into drainage systems, UCO causes clogs, unpleasant odours, and contamination of water sources, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases (UNEP, 2021).

Urban centres like Nairobi, Kampala, and Dar es Salaam are already grappling with complex waste management issues, and improper oil disposal only worsens the situation. Municipal infrastructure is rarely equipped to handle liquid waste like oil, meaning much of it ends up polluting natural ecosystems and driving up maintenance costs for public utilities.

Health Risks in the Informal Food Sector

Another pressing issue is the reuse and resale of used cooking oil, especially in informal food markets. Because of its lower cost, some small-scale vendors reuse oil multiple times or buy previously used oil from unregulated sources.

This practice is widespread in urban areas of Kenya and Uganda, where enforcement of food safety standards is often weak. Repeated heating of cooking oil produces harmful compounds such as acrylamide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)—both linked to cancer, heart disease, and other health problems (WHO, 2019). Agencies like NEMA Uganda have flagged this as an emerging food safety concern, particularly in the street food sector (NEMA Uganda, 2020).

Emerging Solutions: Turning Waste into Energy

Despite these challenges, East Africa is beginning to explore more sustainable ways of handling UCO. A particularly promising approach is converting used oil into biodiesel.

In Kenya, environmental startups have started partnering with hotels and restaurants to collect used cooking oil and refine it into biofuel for use in vehicles and generators. For example, Zijani - a renewable energy brand owned and managed by Biogen Diesel Kenya Limited, aims at reclaiming UCO, Waste and Residues from bulk cooking institutions through a socially conscious business voice keen to relay one message that doing the right thing is important, it’s easy, and it’s profitable. Zijani cooperates with the HORECA industry (hotels, restaurants, catering), food processing companies and food delivery platforms. HORECA businesses can dispose of their UCO correctly through Zijani, contributing to a circular flow of waste disposal and generating an additional revenue stream.

In Tanzania, local environmental organisations in Dar es Salaam are working with city authorities to promote safe disposal practices and encourage the repurposing of UCO in non-food sectors. However, these efforts often remain limited in scale due to funding constraints and policy gaps.

Elsewhere, Cameroon offers an inspiring example. In Douala, a startup called Bellomar has successfully recycled waste cooking oil into affordable detergents and soap for homes and hospitals. They purchase used oil from restaurants, hotels, and companies, creating a circular economy that supports both public health and local entrepreneurship.

Internationally, cities like Dubai are pioneering large-scale solutions. The company Lootah collects up to 500,000 litres of used cooking oil every month, offering business owners a financial incentive through a user-friendly mobile app, which is converted into biodiesel (NLS Waste Services Ltd, 2023). Another Dubai-based initiative aims to scale this even further, turning UCO into clean fuel to reduce pollution, protect sewage systems, and support the Emirate’s transition to green energy (Khaleej Times, 2025).

Conclusion: From Pollutant to Resource

Although accurate data on used cooking oil in East Africa is still lacking, consumption trends suggest that the region generates tens to hundreds of thousands of tonnes of UCO annually. Factors like reuse rates and informal disposal make tracking difficult. To address this, targeted studies and data from national biofuel or environmental agencies are urgently needed.

Without proper systems in place, UCO will continue to pose health and environmental threats. But with increasing public awareness, entrepreneurial innovation, and government engagement, there is a clear opportunity to transform this waste into a valuable resource.

To unlock this potential, East African governments should invest in:

• Public education campaigns about safe disposal,
• Policy frameworks to regulate UCO reuse and resale,
• Incentives and partnerships with the private sector.

By reimagining used cooking oil as a tool for clean energy and economic development, the region can take a meaningful step toward a more sustainable and healthier future.

References:

·    Channels TV (2018).Cameroonian Entrepreneur Recycles Waste Cooking Oil Into Detergent and Soap | Eco@Africa| YouTube video

·         Daily Monitor (2021). Growth in the cooking oil sector is still low

·         Khaleej Times (2025). Dubai to convert used cooking oil into clean, renewable fuel

·  NEMA Uganda. (2020). Annual Environmental Report. National Environment Management Authority.

·         NLS Waste Services Ltd (2023). Turning Cooking Oil Into Fuel

·         Statista (2025). Edible Oils - Eastern Africa

·         UNEP. (2021). Waste Management Outlook for Africa. United Nations Environment Programme.

·   WHO. (2019). Health Risks Associated with Repeatedly Heated Cooking Oils. World Health Organisation.

·         Zijani (2024). Improving sustainable bio-feedstock waste collection

Why Cooking Traditions Matter in the Shift to Clean Energy in East Africa

Last week, I attended a regional civil society policy harmonisation dialogue on the East African Community’s Renewable Energy policy (organised by PACJA and WWF) in Nairobi, Kenya, that brought together participants from Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda and Rwanda.

As part of this ground-breaking engagement process, we thrashed out barriers to the adoption of clean cooking in East Africa. One that stood out for me is the long-standing, culturally held cooking (culinary) practices among communities in this region.

For example, millions of households still cook using traditional methods such as open fires or charcoal stoves. These methods pose serious health risks, particularly for women and children, and contribute to environmental degradation. Clean cooking technologies—like improved cookstoves, LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), and electric alternatives—offer safer and more efficient solutions. However, despite their benefits, adoption remains slow. One important reason is the deep connection between local culinary practices and how food is traditionally prepared.

So, cooking in East Africa is not just about making meals—it’s a cultural experience. Foods like ugali in Kenya and Tanzania, injera in Ethiopia, and matoke in Uganda are deeply rooted in family and communal traditions. Many of these dishes require specific cooking techniques, like long boiling, heavy stirring, or grilling over an open flame, which traditional stoves handle well (Troncoso et al., 2019). One participant noted that, ‘In my culture, a fireplace is a sign of life in a home’. While another one reported that in central Uganda, cooking matoke with firewood (and charcoal) provides food with a special aroma that the one prepared with e-cooking lacks.

But clean stoves often struggle to replicate these methods. For instance, making chapati or grilling nyama choma (roasted meat) on an LPG or electric stove may not produce the same flavour or texture. Taste is a major factor in food preferences, and when clean cooking changes the way meals taste, families are less likely to make the switch (Ochieng et al., 2020).

Another challenge is equipment compatibility. Traditional East African cooking often involves large pots and pans that may not fit on smaller, modern stoves. In some cases, these stoves are designed for entirely different types of cooking, which can discourage users from adopting them (Berkeley Air Monitoring Group, 2018).

Also, social factors play a role. Women are usually responsible for cooking and experience the harmful effects of smoke, but men often control household finances. This disconnect can delay or prevent investment in cleaner technologies (WHO, 2022). Additionally, many clean stoves require changes in cooking routines or training, which can be a barrier if women are already stretched for time.

In addition, community influence matters too. If neighbours or relatives have a bad experience with a clean stove—such as difficulty cooking staple foods—the entire community may be less inclined to try it. Conversely, when respected community members demonstrate that clean stoves work well for local dishes, others are more likely to follow (Clean Cooking Alliance, 2021).

To encourage widespread adoption, clean cooking solutions must be culturally appropriate. That means designing stoves that accommodate local cooking styles and utensils, and involving women in the design and promotion process. Cooking demonstrations, peer-to-peer training, and local champions can also build trust and acceptance.

Therefore, clean cooking is not just a technical fix—it’s a social and cultural transition. When developers and policymakers recognise the importance of food traditions and cooking habits, they can create solutions that meet people where they are. Only then can East Africa move toward healthier homes and a cleaner environment.

References

• Berkeley Air Monitoring Group. (2018). Improved Cookstove Field Studies in Africa.
• Clean Cooking Alliance. (2021). Understanding Consumer Preferences in Clean Cooking.
• Ochieng, C., et al. (2020). Cultural Factors in the Adoption of Clean Cooking in Kenya. Energy Research & Social Science.
• Troncoso, K., et al. (2019). Beyond Technology: Influencing Clean Cooking Adoption through Culture. World Development.
• World Health Organisation. (2022). Household Air Pollution and Health.

AMCEN@40: Triumphs, Trials, and the Road Ahead for Africa’s Environmental Governance

 

In 1985, as global awareness of environmental degradation began to rise, African leaders came together to ensure the continent had a unified voice in shaping the environmental agenda. Four decades later, the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) is a testament to Africa’s enduring commitment to sustainability, even as it faces new challenges (UNEP, 2025).

The Twentieth Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN-20) will be held from 14-18 July 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya, under the theme “Four Decades of Environmental Action in Africa: Reflecting on the Past and Imagining the Future.” The session also marks the 40th anniversary of AMCEN (UNEP, 2025).

From a civil society perspective, we look back at the achievements and challenges of AMCEN since its founding in 1985 on environmental transformation across climate action, nature action, chemicals and pollution action, and land degradation, desertification, and drought Action.

Founding Mission

The African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) was established in Cairo, Egypt in 1985 following the adoption of the Cairo Programme for African Cooperation. For 40 years, AMCEN has facilitated the broadening of the political and public policy debate regarding Africa’s environmental priorities and concerns. As the permanent forum of Africa’s environment ministers, AMCEN aims to strengthen cooperation between African governments on economic, technical and scientific activities to halt the degradation of Africa’s environment.

AMCEN’s mandate is to: provide information and advocacy for environmental protection in Africa; ensure that the basic human needs are met adequately and in a sustainable manner; ensure that socio-economic development is realised at all levels; and ensure that agricultural activities and practices meet the food security of the region.

But what have been the key achievements over the years, and what are the challenges haunting AMCEN’s progress?

Four Decades: Key AMCEN Accomplishments

Policy Coordination and Regional Agenda Setting

AMCEN has been instrumental in formulating and promoting regional environmental strategies. For example, it spearheaded the Action Plan for the Environment Initiative of NEPAD, adopted during the 9th Ordinary Session in Kampala in 2002 (UNEP, 2002). This provided a continent-wide framework to integrate environmental sustainability into development planning.

AMCEN also developed the African 10-Year Framework Programme on Sustainable Consumption and Production, aligning with global commitments under Agenda 21 (UNEP, 2013).

Furthermore, through the creation of the African Environment Outlook reports, AMCEN has raised national and global political discussion and prioritisation of environmental issues on the continent.

Unified Climate Change Advocacy

AMCEN has also led the formation of Africa’s common positions on climate change, particularly ahead of major UNFCCC Conferences of the Parties (COPs). The 13th Session in Bamako (2010) contributed to shaping Africa’s unified voice ahead of COP15 and COP16, reinforcing calls for adaptation finance and technology transfer (AMCEN, 2010). For example, the Cairo Declaration on Climate Change (2015), adopted during the 15th Session, reaffirmed Africa’s demand for equity in global climate negotiations and played a key role in shaping African positions at COP21 (AMCEN, 2015).

Mobilising International Partnerships and Resources

AMCEN has attracted support from UNEP, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and international donors. It played a role in launching initiatives like the African Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI) and the African Adaptation Initiative (AAI), which mobilise climate finance and technology (African Union, 2016).

Strengthening Environmental Governance and Diplomacy

Regular AMCEN sessions have strengthened coordination among African environment ministries and enhanced technical and policy capacities. They have facilitated information sharing, South-South cooperation, and harmonisation of national legislation (UNEP, 2017). AMCEN sessions have also shaped and galvanised the African Common Position at global climate talks (for example, at the annual UNFCCC COPs).

Mainstreaming Environmental Concerns into Development

AMCEN has ensured that the environment is central to Africa’s development agenda, especially in aligning regional strategies with the AU Agenda 2063 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (AMCEN, 2019).

The African Green Stimulus Programme (AGSP) is an innovative African-led initiative to support the Continent’s recovery response in a sustainable manner to the devastating socio-economic and environmental impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic and to support the Continent’s longer-term sustainable development objectives. The AGSP was adopted by the African Environment Ministers at the 8th Special Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) in December 2020 and by African Heads of State at the 35th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union in February 2022 (AMCEN, 2022).

Enduring and Emerging Challenges

Implementation Gaps

Despite strong declarations, implementation at the national level remains weak. Many action plans lack follow-up, monitoring, or integration into national development policies due to limited institutional capacity (UNEP, 2018).

For example, Agenda 2063 identifies energy security as a continental priority. Yet, Sub-Saharan Africa continues to face severe energy deficits, with over 600 million people lacking electricity and relying on biomass for cooking. With just a few years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, this trend questions the global political commitment to the future of Africa’s forest resources as global commons.

Funding Limitations

African countries often lack the financial resources needed to implement AMCEN’s decisions. Many AMCEN initiatives rely on external funding, making them vulnerable to donor priorities (AMCEN, 2022). While the Africa 2063 Agenda declares that Africa must take full responsibility for financing its development goals, the realisation of this goal and the development of Africa lie in effective public finance management, public debt management, and public investment.

However, the recent significant growth in debt load, almost one-third of Sub-Saharan African nations, spells a high danger of financial distress, including the majority of nations that benefited from debt relief in the 1990s (Xolani Thusi et. Al., 2024). For example, climate change is costing African economies up to 15% of GDP annually. In response, African Governments are diverting up to 9% of their budgets to cope with extreme weather (UNECA, 2025), while grappling with debt distress, facing difficult trade-offs between climate action and meeting critical development needs, such as health and education

Rapid Urbanisation in Africa

Rapid urbanisation in Africa presents both opportunities and challenges. By 2050, 60 per cent of Africa's population will live in urban areas, contributing significantly to GDP but also straining infrastructure and services, including the environment and natural resources.

Limited Legal Authority

AMCEN operates primarily as an advisory body. It lacks enforcement mechanisms to ensure member states comply with decisions, which undermines the consistency of action across the continent (UNEP, 2013).

Institutional and Political Coordination Challenges

Overall, AMCEN’s mandate is broad and its structure quite layered, making coordination and efficient action difficult. In addition, inconsistencies in national-level commitment, overlapping mandates with other institutions (AU, NEPAD), and a lack of continuity between sessions hinder AMCEN’s long-term effectiveness (AMCEN, 2023).

There are also capacity gaps, for example, many African countries lack regulatory frameworks and face technical barriers such as a lack of infrastructure and expertise in carbon project development. This is against the backdrop of the fact that Africa’s carbon markets are expected to see rapid expansion by 2025, driven by the continent’s expansive natural resources and ecosystems that can support both voluntary and compliance markets (Africa Carbon Trade Network, 2025).

External Pressures

Factors like political instability, economic crises, the COVID-19 pandemic, and conflict in several regions have diverted attention and resources away from environmental initiatives (UNEP, 2021). As long as civil and cross-border conflicts in biodiverse and mineral-rich regions of Africa, like Central  and Eastern Africa, persist, the environment and natural resources as a development bedrock will not receive the necessary due investment. This will put both the current and future generations in danger.

Worse still, Africa is disproportionately affected by climate change, with annual economic losses at $7 to $15 billion, and projected to rise to $50 billion a year by 2030 (UNECA, 2025). In order to meet its climate adaptation needs only, Africa will need an estimated USD 250 billion annually from 2020 to 2030 (Climate Policy Initiative, 2022).

As AMCEN enters its fifth decade, the question is not only whether it can respond to Africa’s environmental crises, but whether it can catalyse a new era of leadership, where action matches ambition. For that, political will, inclusive governance, and sustainable finance are not optional—they are urgent necessities.