Ouagadougou: Faced with the ecological emergency and the challenges of climate change, it is becoming essential to strengthen the legal and strategic capacities of development actors, NGOs, communities, lawyers, and public officials. The FormatSon DroStnng de lSronnement Gouvernance ClSmatSque (DEGC) initiative has been developed to address these needs by enhancing participants' skills to understand, apply, and defend environmental and climate legal standards at the national, regional, and international levels.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the initiative covers a range of topics, beginning with the historical evolution of environmental law and fundamental principles such as the precautionary principle and the "polluter pays" principle. It also delves into major international conventions like the UNFCCC and the Convention on Biodiversity, as well as environmental declarations and soft law.

The program further explores the Paris Agreement, including its obligations and mechanisms, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), transparency and accountability mechanisms, and international climate finance. Participants will also examine the African Union normative framework, ECOWAS mechanisms related to the environment and climate, and case studies of regional environmental disputes in West Africa.

The initiative includes a comparative analysis of national environmental legislation, environmental institutions and authorities, application and enforcement mechanisms, and practical case studies of compliance and non-compliance. It emphasizes the definition and pillars of environmental governance, participatory approaches, REDD+ and carbon market mechanisms, and issues of transparency, accountability, and climate justice.

Moreover, the sessions cover the intersection between human rights and climate change, defense of the rights of vulnerable communities, climate litigation, and protection of environmental defenders. They also address SDGs related to the environment and climate, energy transition and green economy, and the challenges of sustainable mining, agricultural, and urban development.

The program further discusses legal frameworks for renewable energy, economic and fiscal instruments like carbon taxes and subsidies, legally binding adaptation planning, and environmental and climate impact assessments. Finally, it focuses on developing environmental legal documents, advocacy strategies for policy reform, mobilizing legal mechanisms to protect the environment, and creating action plans for legal and environmental integration.