At the 18th Annual Bar Leaders Conference hosted by the International Bar Association (IBA) at Bocconi University, Milan, Italy, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, delivered a compelling presentation on the role of bar associations in advancing sustainability in a rapidly changing world.
Speaking on the theme “In a Changing World, How Can Bar Associations Be Champions of Sustainability?”, Mazi Afam Osigwe emphasized that the climate crisis is not a distant challenge but a pressing reality requiring urgent and coordinated action from all sectors, particularly the legal profession.
The NBA President outlined the Nigerian Bar Association’s forward-thinking initiatives, notably the establishment of the NBA Climate Justice Committee. The Committee, still in its formative stage, is tasked with:
- Policy advocacy for stronger environmental laws,
- Strategic litigation to tackle environmental injustices,
- Capacity building for lawyers on climate-related laws,
- Public awareness and partnerships with local and international environmental organizations,
- Collaboration with Nigeria’s National Council on Climate Change to align legal reforms with national environmental goals.
He also stressed the vital role of legal education in driving environmental change, referencing the inclusion of Environmental Law in the curriculum of over 20 Nigerian law faculties and advocating for continuing legal education (CLE) for practicing lawyers. He also highlighted recent climate-centered legal conferences in Nigeria such as the International Conference on Renewable and Sustainable Energy and the upcoming Global Warming and Pollution Control conference.
Quoting Nelson Mandela, he declared, “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.”
He called on bar associations globally to lead advocacy for climate legislation and promote sustainability within their operations through:
- Reducing paper use via digitization,
- Promoting virtual hearings,
- Adopting green policies within law firms and bar associations.
He cited Nigeria’s shift to e-filing and virtual court proceedings as a case study in reducing the legal sector’s carbon footprint.
The President underscored the importance of strategic partnerships, citing NBA’s collaboration with the Association of Environmental Lawyers of Nigeria (AELN) as a model for bar-environmental alliance aimed at improving access to justice and sustainable governance.
Reaffirming the NBA’s support for international cooperation, he noted NBA’s participation in the IBA’s Climate Justice Committee Roundtable, stressing that transnational challenges like climate change demand collective global legal strategies.
Mazi Afam Osigwe concluded his address with a rallying call to bar leaders to:
- Establish climate justice committees,
- Embed sustainability in policy and practice,
- Advocate environmental reforms, and
- Promote climate literacy.
He declared: “As bar leaders, we are not just interpreters of the law, but architects of a more just and sustainable future.”
The NBA’s representation at the IBA underscores its growing role as a global voice on climate justice and sustainability, reflecting a bold vision for a legally empowered, environmentally conscious future.
