Since 1999, ELI’s Africa Program has worked to strengthen environmental law, policy, and management in Africa. Partnering with African NGOs and governments, ELI helps draft and advance pragmatic and effective environmental laws and policies, analyzes and identifies options to improve the implementation of existing environmental law, and builds the capacity of local institutions and citizens to carry out these tasks independently. In addition to strengthening environmental laws, ELI and its partners empower African civil society to address environmental needs by undertaking projects in rule of law, transparency, public participation, and access to justice.
ELI has worked with in-country partners to:
- design seminars to build the capacity of judges to hear environmental cases and of lawyers to advocate effectively for the environment
- implement an awareness-raising campaign advancing opportunities for a regional initiative on environmental governance;
- carry out a study on best practices and lessons learned in developing and implementing laws and policies governing access to genetic resources and benefit sharing;
- rebuild forest governance in a country devastated by civil conflict linked to timber harvesting;
- develop recommendations to formalize the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector; and
- examine how to incorporate adaptive management into law and regulations governing biodiversity
ELI also has an expanding program for African Visiting Scholars.