With a population of approximately 37.5 million, Uganda is ranked 161st in the Human Development Index (HDI) ranking and 24th in terms of vulnerability. Average annual temperature has increased by 1.3 degrees C since 1960 and there will be a projected increase between 1.0 degrees C and 3.1 degrees C and increases in annual rainfall by the 2060s (McSweeney et al. 2010). In addition, the average number of ‘hot’ days and ‘hot’ nights per year in Uganda have increased since 1960 (McSweeney et al, 2010).
In light of the above, Uganda’s climate action – the Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) submitted ahead of the Paris Conference in October 2015, notes that the livelihood of the people of Uganda is highly dependent on the exploitation of her natural resources, including climate, forests and water.
Hence, Uganda’s priority in the INDC is adaptation. Key in this plan is the need to scale up work on reducing vulnerability and addressing adaptation in agriculture and livestock, forestry, infrastructure (with an emphasis on human settlements, social infrastructure and transport), water, energy, health and disaster risk management.
In light of the above, Uganda’s climate action – the Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) submitted ahead of the Paris Conference in October 2015, notes that the livelihood of the people of Uganda is highly dependent on the exploitation of her natural resources, including climate, forests and water.
Hence, Uganda’s priority in the INDC is adaptation. Key in this plan is the need to scale up work on reducing vulnerability and addressing adaptation in agriculture and livestock, forestry, infrastructure (with an emphasis on human settlements, social infrastructure and transport), water, energy, health and disaster risk management.
Forests should be at the center of Uganda’s climate action
Uganda is highly depended on her natural resources, making it vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Uganda is experiencing significant impacts of climate change. For example recent reports from the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) indicate that there has been an increase in seasonal mean temperature in many areas of Uganda over the last 50 years (IPCC, 2014, while observations to date show that annual rainfall has been decreasing (McSweeney et al, 2010).
Currently, Uganda loses nearly 5,400 hectares of natural forest every month due to its population that heavily depends on wood fuel (WWF Uganda, 2016). However, forests as a key natural resource (under stress) stand as a starting entry point for Uganda at COP22, given their inclusion in the Paris Agreement.
In Uganda, forests among others provide energy, acts as key water catchments and landscape restoration, and moderate climate that is conducive to Uganda’s largely agricultural economy (Approximately 70% of the country’s population engages in subsistence, rain-fed agriculture and it derives significant income from exported crops). Within the confines of COP22, Uganda should harness multilateral interventions to supplement its efforts in building community resilience and reducing vulnerability to climate change.
For example, Article 5 of the Paris Agreement on GHG sinks and reservoirs and Reducing Emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks (REDD+), all Parties agreed to take action to conserve and enhance forests as sinks & reservoirs of GHG. In the same way, Parties are encouraged to take action and to implement and support REDD+ and Joint Mitigation and Adaptation (JMA).
It is particularly important to focus on pro-poor interventions in all these endeavors. For example, by promoting agroforestry practices, encouraging efficient biomass energy production and utilization technologies, increasing the efficiency in the use of biomass in the traditional energy sector and promoting renewable energy and other alternative energy sources.
