Global Environmental and Climate Conservation Initiative (GECCI)

A successful first Global Dialogue on AI Governance should deliver clear, inclusive, and actionable outcomes that reflect the diversity of global stakeholders, particularly voices from developing regions. Key outcomes should include the establishment of a shared understanding of principles for safe, ethical, and human-centered AI, alongside a roadmap for international cooperation. The Dialogue should result in practical recommendations that support equitable access to AI technologies, strengthen capacity-building in low- and middle-income countries, and promote responsible innovation aligned with sustainable development goals. It is also important that the process builds trust by ensuring transparency, accountability, and meaningful participation of civil society, youth, and Indigenous communities. Another critical outcome would be the identification of priority areas for collaboration, including climate action, environmental monitoring, and sustainable resource management, where AI can deliver tangible benefits. The Dialogue should also lay the foundation for ongoing engagement, including mechanisms for knowledge sharing, partnerships, and periodic review of progress. Ultimately, success will be defined by whether the Dialogue moves beyond discussion to practical, inclusive, and globally relevant actions that ensure AI contributes positively to humanity and the planet.

• Transparency, accountability, and human oversight
• Safe, secure and trustworthy AI
• AI capacity-building
• Protection and promotion of human rights

These priorities reflect the need to ensure that AI development and deployment are both responsible and inclusive. Safe, secure, and trustworthy AI is essential to build public confidence and prevent misuse, particularly in contexts where regulatory frameworks are still evolving. AI capacity-building is critical for bridging the digital divide, especially in Africa and other developing regions, where limited technical infrastructure and skills can hinder meaningful participation in the AI ecosystem. Without targeted investment in capacity, existing inequalities may be further exacerbated. The protection and promotion of human rights must remain central to AI governance. This includes safeguarding privacy, preventing discrimination and bias, and ensuring that AI systems do not marginalize vulnerable communities, including Indigenous peoples and pastoralists. Transparency, accountability, and human oversight are necessary to ensure that AI systems remain understandable and controllable. These principles support ethical decision-making, enable trust, and ensure that humans remain responsible for outcomes. Together, these priorities promote a balanced approach that supports innovation while safeguarding people and communities.

Several cross-cutting and emerging issues deserve greater attention. First, the intersection of AI and environmental sustainability is critical. While AI can support climate action, it also has a growing environmental footprint due to energy consumption and resource use. Governance frameworks should address both the opportunities and impacts of AI on the environment. Second, the protection of Indigenous knowledge and community data sovereignty is an emerging concern. AI systems increasingly rely on large datasets, which may include culturally sensitive or locally generated knowledge. Clear safeguards are needed to ensure that such data is used ethically, with consent and fair benefit-sharing. Third, the role of AI in fragile and conflict-affected settings requires attention, particularly in relation to misinformation, resource conflicts, and governance challenges. Finally, youth inclusion and participation should be recognized as a cross-cutting priority. Young people are both key innovators and affected stakeholders, and their meaningful engagement is essential for shaping future-ready AI governance frameworks. Addressing these issues will help ensure that AI governance is holistic, inclusive, and aligned with sustainable development priorities.

In Nigeria and across the African region, gaps in AI governance are increasingly shaping both opportunities and risks within key sectors such as agriculture, climate action, and natural resource management. While AI technologies offer significant potential for improving soil monitoring, climate forecasting, and early warning systems, limited regulatory frameworks and institutional capacity hinder their effective and equitable deployment. One major challenge is the lack of clear policies on data governance, privacy, and ethical use of AI. This creates risks of data exploitation, bias, and exclusion of vulnerable groups, particularly Indigenous peoples and pastoralist communities whose knowledge systems are often undocumented or inadequately protected. In addition, limited access to infrastructure, technical expertise, and funding further widens the digital divide, restricting the ability of local actors to benefit from AI innovations. At the same time, there are strong opportunities. AI can enhance decision-making in sustainable land management, support climate resilience, and improve productivity in agriculture. With the right governance frameworks, it can also strengthen transparency, accountability, and service delivery. Emerging developments in AI governance present an opportunity for countries like Nigeria to adopt inclusive, context-specific policies that prioritize capacity-building, ethical standards, and multi-stakeholder participation. Strengthening regional cooperation and investing in local innovation ecosystems will be critical to ensuring that AI contributes to sustainable development and environmental protection while minimizing risks.

The Global Dialogue on AI Governance can serve as a critical platform for fostering inclusive, transparent, and coordinated international cooperation on AI. Its primary role should be to bridge gaps between countries at different levels of technological development by promoting shared principles, mutual learning, and collective action. The Dialogue can help align global efforts by facilitating the exchange of best practices, policy approaches, and technical expertise across regions. It can also support the development of interoperable governance frameworks that respect national contexts while ensuring consistency in core values such as human rights, safety, and accountability. Importantly, the AI Dialogue should amplify the voices of developing countries, civil society, youth, and Indigenous communities to ensure that global AI governance is not dominated by a limited set of actors. By promoting equitable participation, the Dialogue can contribute to more balanced and representative decision-making. Additionally, the platform can catalyze partnerships, mobilize resources for capacity-building, and encourage collaborative innovation in areas such as climate action, agriculture, and sustainable development. It can also support the establishment of voluntary guidelines and mechanisms for monitoring progress. Overall, the AI Dialogue has the potential to build trust, reduce fragmentation, and create a shared vision for responsible and inclusive AI governance at the global level.

The AI Dialogue should build upon and connect with existing global and regional initiatives such as the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, the OECD AI Principles, and various United Nations efforts on digital cooperation and governance. It should also engage with regional frameworks emerging in Africa and other developing regions that aim to strengthen digital transformation and AI readiness. In addition, partnerships involving academia, civil society, and the private sector—such as open-source AI communities, research collaborations, and innovation hubs—provide valuable foundations for inclusive AI development. Initiatives focused on climate and environmental applications of AI, as well as digital capacity-building programs, are particularly relevant. The added value of the AI Dialogue lies in its ability to bring these fragmented efforts into a more coherent and inclusive global framework. Unlike existing initiatives that may be sector-specific or regionally focused, the Dialogue can act as a central convening space to align priorities, reduce duplication, and promote synergy across initiatives. Furthermore, the Dialogue can enhance inclusivity by ensuring meaningful participation from underrepresented regions and stakeholder groups. It can also facilitate practical collaboration by linking policy discussions with implementation support, knowledge sharing, and resource mobilization. By connecting existing efforts and filling coordination gaps, the AI Dialogue can strengthen global governance while ensuring that AI development supports sustainable and equitable outcomes worldwide.

Stakeholders can contribute by sharing practical experiences, policy insights, and technical expertise. Governments can provide regulatory perspectives, the private sector can share innovation and implementation lessons, while civil society and academia can highlight ethical, social, and human rights considerations. To ensure effectiveness, the AI Dialogue should adopt a multi-stakeholder format with balanced representation. It should include structured sessions such as panel discussions, thematic working groups, and open consultations. Clear mechanisms for submitting inputs before and after the Dialogue will also strengthen participation and continuity.

Voices currently underrepresented include stakeholders from developing countries, Indigenous communities, pastoralists, youth, women, and grassroots organizations. These groups are often most affected by AI but have limited access to decision-making spaces. Their inclusion can be strengthened through targeted outreach, financial support for participation, language accessibility, and dedicated sessions that amplify their perspectives. Supporting local and regional consultations prior to the Dialogue can also ensure their inputs are meaningfully integrated.

Innovative formats such as interactive roundtables, breakout working groups, and hybrid participation (in-person and virtual) can enhance engagement. Digital platforms for real-time input, polling, and feedback can also make discussions more inclusive and dynamic. Additionally, incorporating case study presentations, youth-led sessions, and solution-focused workshops can encourage practical dialogue. Ensuring follow-up mechanisms, such as online communities or action groups, will help sustain engagement beyond the Dialogue.

Effective AI governance can build on frameworks such as the UNESCO Recommendation on AI Ethics and the OECD AI Principles, which emphasize human rights, transparency, and accountability. Good practices include multi-stakeholder collaboration, regulatory sandboxes for testing AI safely, and open data initiatives that support transparency and innovation. Capacity-building and strong data governance are especially important in developing regions to ensure equitable access and participation. AI applications in areas like climate monitoring and agriculture also show how responsible governance can support sustainable development. Overall, combining ethical standards with inclusive and practical approaches is key to effective AI governance.