This
year’s World environment Day
theme ‘Connecting People to Nature’ implores us to get outdoors and into
nature, to appreciate its beauty and its importance, and to take forward the
call to protect the Earth that we share. It really appeals to individuals and
communities more than institutions. This is because it does not matter where
one lives or works in an urban or rural, is an inhabitant of the developed or
developing world, comes from an affluent or poor family background, young or
old. We all have to connect to nature in one way or the other. In fact on close
reflection, this theme is a call to action for all the global citizenry to come
back to our senses and treat Mother Earth is a more humane
way
In
Uganda, the theme has been localised to: ‘Connect to nature, Appreciate
Biodiversity’. The local theme which is also in tandem with the International Biodiversity Day 2017, calls
upon all Ugandans to come close, reflect on the diversity of in the country or
in a particular habitat or ecosystem in or close where they live. As noted
above we all live in or close to nature even in assumed urban settings since
our overall survival is controlled by nature – we have to drink, water, buy
food need light and release waste into nature.
In
the affluent communities in developed countries, countries in Transition, towns
and cities, citizens are urged to bring a little
bit of nature into their routine in order to take the edge off city life that
is increasingly moderated by technology. This could include ideas like The
International Task Force on Sustainable Tourism’s PassePorte Verde
(Green Passport) initiative that provides tips to foster the adoption of
responsible attitudes in tourism, showing how one’s behaviour can contribute
towards conserving the environment and improving the quality of people’s lives.
Connecting to Nature for
Survival
On
the other hand, for Developing countries especially rural communities, the
theme relates to securing one’s real survival, since their economies that are powerfully
intertwined with nature. For example, Ugandan agriculture
that provides occupation for over 72 percent of the total economically active population
is almost completely dependent on rain-fed agriculture by small- and medium-scale
farmers with a national average holding size of 1.1 hectares.
At
the national level, wildlife which is part of nature commands 90%
of the tourism in Uganda due to its 10 unique National Parks, 12 Wetlands
of International Importance designated under the Ramsar Convention, among other
attractions. In turn, this sector is leading foreign exchange earner to the
Ugandan economy where visitor exports generate USD 1.35bn (23.5% of total
exports) in 2015. In fact, tourism contribution to GDP increased to Uganda Shs
7.3 trillion in 2015 from Uganda Shs 6.3 trillion in 2014 representing a
14percent growth (MTTI, 2017).
Connecting to Nature: State
of the World Plants (2017) that we take for granted
Just
in time for the World Environment Day 2017, the Royal Botanic Gardens – Kew has
published the Second State
of the World’s Plants (2017). This report stresses the fact that detailed
knowledge of plants is fundamental to human life on Earth. Plants underpin all
aspects of our everyday life — from the food that we eat, to the clothes that
we wear, the materials we use, the air we breathe, the medicines we take and
much more. These essential services provided by plants are far too often taken
for granted.
As
an example, the State of the World Plants (2017) report highlights an
astounding and unexpected new tree species (Barleria
mirabilis) found in Tanzania. This is from a major tropical family of herbs
and shrubs (the Acanthaceae). Plant leaves in Acanthaceae are used externally for wounds, while some research has
indicated that Acanthaceae possess
antifungal, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic, antioxidant, insecticidal,
immunomodulatory, anti-platelet aggregation and anti-viral potential.
Generally,
wild and domesticated plants serve an important role to us as humans. The State
of the World Plants (2017) underlines the fact that 80% of the food derived
from plants comes from 17 plant families. For example, among the most important
discovered species with potential for new food sources were 11 new Brazilian
species of Manihot, representing a
10% increase in the known number of species that are relatives of the important
food plant Manihot esculenta. This
plant is known variously as cassava, garri, manioc or tapioca and is a staple food
for millions of people in the tropics (including Uganda), where Nigeria is the largest
producer. Third in global importance after maize and rice, manioc offers more
food security than cereals because tubers can be left in the ground until
needed, can be harvested at any season and contain sufficient cyanide to deter
crop pests.
Existing Citizen
‘Spaces’ to Hold those in Contravention
In
a bid to perform its oversight and representative role, Uganda parliament
adopted a number of oversight mechanisms. These include the Prime
Minister’s time. This mechanism as referred to under Rule 34 of the Rules
of Procedure of Parliament is time designated every Wednesday starting at 3 pm of
the sitting of Parliament and it lasts for 45 minutes unless the Speaker in
exceptional cases exercises his or her discretion to extend. During this
session, members are free to ask any (one) question on any matter with the
exception of the leader of opposition who is allowed to ask more than one
question. The Prime Minister is expected to respond instantly though not often.
In this case, citizens are free to channel their questions to the Prime
Minister through their elected Members of Parliament on a regular basis. This
remains to be an opportunity that has not been used well, apparently Members of Parliament ask
long blurry questions that take all the time and deny other members a
chance to (relevantly) ask.
At
a higher level given the interconnected world, in order to connect to nature
without any encumbrances, there needs to be a citizen-driven accountability for
sustainable development that gives affected people a greater voice. This is
particularly important when an International Financing Institution (IFI) project
imperils, or results in harm to people or the environment. Independent
Accountability Mechanisms which
reflect the principle of ‘citizen-driven
accountability’ promise to provide greater voice and rights of recourse to
people through independently administered channel to bring their grievances to
the highest levels of IFI decision-making.
The World Bank’s
Inspection Panel is an independent complaints mechanism for people and
communities who believe that they have been, or are likely to be, adversely
affected by a World Bank-funded project. The Board of Executive Directors
created the Inspection Panel in 1993 to ensure that people have access to an
independent body to express their concerns and seek recourse. The Panel is an
impartial fact-finding body, independent from the World Bank management and
staff, reporting directly to the Board. The Inspection Panel process aims to
promote accountability at the World Bank, give affected people a greater voice
in activities supported by the World Bank that affect their rights and
interests, and foster redress when warranted. So, in response to complaints
from project-affected people, we have a mandate to review projects funded by
the World Bank, through the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
(IBRD) and International Development Association (IDA). The Panel assesses
allegations of harm to people or the environment and reviews whether the Bank
followed its operational policies and procedures.
In
Uganda, complainants, who asked for confidentiality, raised concerns about
potential social and environmental harm caused by the construction of the
Isimba Dam reservoir and the consequent flooding of the Kalagala Offset Area.
While the World Bank is not financing the dam, the complainants alleged the flooding
will undermine the management of protected natural resources in the KOA, which
is a requirement of an indemnity agreement between the International
Development Association and the government of Uganda as part of the Bujagali
project. The Panel registered both complaints in September 2016, and informed
the Board that since they raised similar issues the Panel would process them
jointly. The World Bank Board of Executive Directors on April 4, 2017, approved
the Inspection Panel’s recommendation to defer by up to 12 months its decision
on whether an investigation is warranted into two projects regarding the
Kalagala Offset Area (KOA) in Uganda.
In
another case, United
Nations development program (UNDP), deployed a team of experts to Kalangala
district to carry out investigations on alleged human rights violation by BIDCO Palm Oil Company by farmers under Bugala Farmers
Association. This call to action is because of the farmers’ petition to the
office in November last year to investigate an agreement signed between Oil
Palm Uganda Limited (OPUL) and Business Call to Action (BCtA), arguing, it was
erroneous for BCtA to go into partnership with OPUL.
Similarly
letter to the Editor might look a small citizen action, but these few words
(for example The
Daily Monitor’s ‘Letter of the Day’) and pictures (for example The New Vision’s ‘Point of View’ in the
letters section) normally catch attention of the general public and busy
readers (policy and decision-makers), as they quickly peruse through these
dailies. Therefore, responsible Ugandan citizens should regularly contribute to
these public ‘spaces’ by raising text and pictorial cases of environmental
abuse, good stories / case worth scaling up, among others.
Connecting to Nature: Recent
Global Calls to Citizens
The
Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ of Pope Francis On Care for Our Common Future
Pope
Francis’ Encyclical (Laudato Si)
released in June 2015, is a worldwide wake up call to help humanity
understand the destruction that man is rendering to the environment and his
fellow man. While addressing the environment directly, the document’s scope is
broader in many ways as it looks at not only man’s effect on the environment,
but also the many philosophical, theological, and cultural causes that threaten
the relationships of man to nature and man to each other in various
circumstances.
From
the outset, Pope Francis states the goal of the document: “In this Encyclical,
I would like to enter into dialogue with all people about our common home”.
Normally,
papal documents are addressed to the bishops of the Church or the lay faithful.
But, similar to Pope Saint John XXIII’s Pacem in Terris, Pope Francis addresses
his message to ALL people.
Pope
Francis warns that: “The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more
like an immense pile of filth”.
The
Earth Charter: A Global Vision of Hope and a Call to Action.
The
Earth Charter
is an ethical framework for building a just, sustainable, and peaceful global
society in the 21st century. It seeks to inspire in all people a new sense of
global interdependence and shared responsibility for the well-being of the
whole human family, the greater community of life, and future generations. It
is a vision of hope and a call to action.
The
Earth Charter was finalized and then launched as a people’s charter on 29 June,
2000 by the Earth Charter Commission, an independent international entity, in a
ceremony at the Peace Palace, in The Hague. It is now available in 53 languages
including Kiswahili and Kirundi
The
Earth Charter is centrally concerned with the transition to sustainable ways of
living and sustainable human development. Ecological integrity is one major
theme. However, the Earth Charter recognizes that the goals of ecological
protection, the eradication of poverty, equitable economic development, and
respect for human rights, democracy, and peace are interdependent and
indivisible. It provides, therefore, a new, inclusive, integrated ethical
framework to guide the transition to a sustainable future. The legitimacy of
the document has been further enhanced by its endorsement by over 6,000
organizations, including many governments and international organizations.
Law
of Mother Earth: Ugandan Inspiration From Bolivia
Like
Uganda, the Bolivian economy does rely heavily on natural resource export
activity, earning a significant part of its foreign exchange thereby.
In
December 2010, in response to an understanding of the impacts of climate change
on the nation’s economic and community health, Bolivia’s National Congress
voted to support an act to protect the well-being of its citizens by protecting
the natural world—its resources, sustainability, and value—as essential to the
common good. The act was supported by Bolivian President Evo Morales
This
Law
of Mother Earth is guided by six binding principles: Harmony: Human activities, within the framework of plurality and
diversity, should achieve a dynamic balance with the cycles and processes
inherent in Mother Earth; Collective Good: The interests of
society, within the framework of the rights of Mother Earth, prevail in all
human activities and any acquired right; Guarantee
of Regeneration: The state, at its various levels, and society, in harmony
with the common interest, must ensure the necessary conditions in order that
the diverse living systems of Mother Earth may absorb damage, adapt to shocks,
and regenerate without significantly altering their structural and functional
characteristics, recognizing that living systems are limited in their ability
to regenerate, and that humans are limited in their ability to undo their
actions; Respect and defend the rights of
Mother Earth: The state and any individual or collective person must
respect, protect and guarantee the rights of Mother Earth for the well-being of
current and future generations; No Commercialism:
Neither living systems nor processes that sustain them may be commercialized,
nor serve anyone’s private property: Multiculturalism:
The exercise of the rights of Mother Earth require the recognition, recovery,
respect, protection, and dialogue of the diversity of feelings, values,
knowledge, skills, practices, transcendence, science, technology and standards
of all the culture of the world who seek to live in harmony with nature.
