THE United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) conference, which was supposed to be held in Glasgow this December looks set to be postponed, due to COVID-9. BY PETER MAKWANYA The COP26 edition would have been significant, in kick-starting the implementation phase of the historic Paris Agreement, placing emphasis on the nationally determined contributions (NDCs). The NDCs are at the heart of the Paris Agreement (COP21), designed to realise the achievement of long-term low carbon emission goals. Striking a balance between anthropogenic by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases (GHGs) as long-term mitigations, remains the ambitious nature of the NDCs. Instead of fostering inclusive pathways towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate resilient development, the NDCs strategies have created communication gaps, pitfalls and roadblocks, thereby sidelining the marginal and forgotten voices of those who draw their livelihoods from the forests. The development of two-way communication strategies for the NDCs to shift attitudes and behaviours towards climate change is a good approach which largely remains a myth due to associated technicalities in implementation. Vulnerable communities, which are the targeted audiences for climate change discourse rely on forest resources for survival and continue to be marginalised yet they are supposed to be actively involved and realise environmental and economic benefits accruing from the long-term mitigations and support adaptations. For these reasons, the ambitious nature of the NDCs will contribute to the missing of lifetime opportunities due to its exclusionary nature, communication massaging and glossing. These ingredients of sustainable communication strategies have gone wrong and are taken for granted. Instead of making the two-way communication processes bottom-up and horizontal networks they should be, those tasked with disseminating information still rely on the top-down approach when engaging communities, thereby leaving important stakeholders behind. The bottom-up, horizontal networks together with interactive communication tools based on the communities’ needs and worldview, would help to close communication gaps caused by hierarchy and structural issues. This would enable the voiceless and the marginalised to communicate critical and strategic information at the same level while mobilising others in order to realise resilience and achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs). The tone set by the historic Paris Agreement, with regards to the NDCs to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and support adaptation to climate change impacts, will have its impetus tested during the implementation stage. In Africa, the climate action strategies designed to deliver it from the climate impacts and crises, have a benevolent and prescriptive tone from the developed world and international donor communities. In this regard, before the implementation processes even start, ownership is already removed from the African participants, either by commission or omissi