This paper is part of the International Journal of Applied Research in Business and Management (ISSN: 2700-8983), Volume 6, Issue 1, published in 2025.
Authors
Samuel Bangura, M. E. Lourens, Mesha Ramavather
Abstract
Regional organisations play a critical role in facilitating cross-border solutions to address climate change, including both adaptation and mitigation strategies. This paper evaluates the eight regional economic communities (RECs) established under the Abuja Treaty in 1991, with support from the African Union. In 2022, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released concerning findings regarding the global impacts of climate change, highlighting that even a minor increase of 1.1 degrees Celsius in temperature has begun to influence various regions. This situation underscores the growing global concern regarding climate emergencies and emphasises the essential participation of governments and key stakeholders, including international and continental organizations such as the African Union and its regional economic communities. Consequently, the primary objective of this study is to analyze the role of the African Union’s regional economic groups in climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. To accomplish this objective, a desktop research methodology was employed, utilizing secondary data through the analysis of published articles, government documents, reports, journals, and books, facilitated by a scoping review process. The findings suggest that the regional economic communities of the African Union are demonstrating substantial progress in climate change mitigation and adaptation, except the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), which has been relatively slower in its initiatives. The theoretical implications of this study underscore its potential to create a foundation for future research on the contributions of public organizations to climate change mitigation and adaptation. Furthermore, the practical implications indicate that stakeholders in regional economic communities can gain valuable insights from the current practices aimed at addressing climate change within their areas of influence.
Suggested Citation (APA 7th)
Bangura, S., Lourens, M., Ramavather, M. (2025). A Scoping Review of the Role of the African Union Regional Economic Communities in Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: Evidence of Existing Studies. International Journal of Applied Research in Business and Management, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.51137/wrp.ijarbm.2025.sbar.45708
