On June 7, 2026, Partnership and Advocacy Officer Hélène Himmer (external link) represented our team in Paris at the Conversations Citoyennes, an event hosted by (external link)Je m'engage pour l'Afrique (JMA) (external link) during the Festival Génér'Action (external link). Participating in the panel dedicated to popular and decolonial ecology, she joined global changemakers, activists, and policy experts to advance a vital paradigm shift that recognizes local, grassroots African practices as foundational pillars of the global climate transition.
The dialogue centered the highly effective environmental strategies operating across African territories and the diaspora, highlighting how communities achieve profound resilience through grassroots low-tech innovation, circular resource economies, and vernacular architecture. By utilizing community-driven tools, reclaiming traditional building methods, and championing long-standing traditions of repair, these initiatives actively optimize resources and offer sustainable solutions adapted to local climates.
Because true ecological sustainability is deeply intertwined with social equity, community sovereignty, and historical accountability, the conversation also addressed the urgent need to protect territories from intensive extraction and environmental degradation. By centering collective relationships to land and resources, African communities are defining pathways toward an inclusive, self-determined future. We continue to amplify these vital perspectives across international policy spaces, standing in solidarity with the grassroots movements, researchers, and creators who are building environmental resilience from the ground up. You can explore our policy briefs and ongoing advocacy campaigns to learn more about our work at the intersection of climate action, structural equity, and reparative justice.