Sounding out the ‘slow pace’ threat to Life on Land (SDG 15) by Invasive Alien Species in Uganda

Invasive Alien Species (IAS) are plants, animals, pathogens and other organisms that are non-native to an ecosystem, and which may cause economic or environmental harm or adversely affect human health. In particular, they impact adversely upon biodiversity, including decline or elimination of native species - through competition, predation, or transmission of pathogens - and the disruption of local ecosystems and ecosystem functions (CBD, 2009)

Invasive alien species, introduced and/or spread outside their natural habitats, have affected native biodiversity in almost every ecosystem type on earth and are one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. Since the 17th century, invasive alien species have contributed to nearly 40% of all animal extinctions for which the cause is known (CBD, 2006). IAS are found in nearly all major taxonomic groups of organisms. Invasive species include viruses, fungi, algae, mosses, ferns, higher plants, invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.

SDG 15 has 12 targets that seek to prevent further deterioration, conserve and protect biodiversity and work towards restoration of past damages. One of these damages is due to Invasive Alien Species (IAS) that has been recognized as one of the targets under this Goal with action by 2020:

15.8 By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority species

As a ‘slow pace’ threat, many communities in Uganda and elsewhere in the world are faced with the economic social and ecological impact of IAS. But current efforts to address this challenge is not commensurate with the efforts needed.

The spread of invasive alien species (IAS) is now recognized as one of the greatest threats to the ecological and economic well-being of the planet. It is creating complex and far-reaching challenges that threaten both the natural biological riches of the earth and the well-being of our people. These species are causing enormous damage to biodiversity and the valuable natural agricultural systems upon which we depend. Direct and indirect health effects are increasingly serious and the damage to native biodiversity is often irreversible. The effects may be exacerbated by global change and chemical and physical disturbance to species and their habitats.

Continuing globalization, with increasing trade, travel, and transport of goods across borders, has brought tremendous benefits to many people. It has, however, also facilitated the spread of IAS, with increasing negative impacts. The problem is global in scope and requires international cooperation to supplement the actions of governments; the private sector and organizations at national and local levels.

Economic costs alone run into hundreds of billions of U.S. dollars per year (GISP, 2004). Other serious impacts are on human health, native biodiversity and ecosystems.This damage is aggravated by climate change, pollution, habitat loss and human-induced disturbance

According to IUCN’s Invasive Species Specialist Group, many species introduced into new environments are unable to survive in their new surroundings. However, a percentage of these species are able to expand the area they infest and negatively impact the economy, human health or ecology of a region and are termed invasive. Habitat alteration and invasive species impacts have been the major cause of species extinctions over the past few hundred years, increasing the rate of extinction by about 1,000 percent.

Although in the past, many of these losses have gone unrecorded, today, there is an increasing realization of the ecological costs of biological invasion in terms of irretrievable loss of native biodiversity and degradation of ecosystem functioning. While the underlying causes of invasive species threats are significant and global in nature, these threats can be effectively dealt with through collaborative efforts at regional and local levels, especially through prevention, early detection and rapid response.

To make matters worse, a major challenge now is to understand the influence of climate change on the complex interactions and impacts of invasive species on natural and human-altered ecosystems.

IAS situation and current efforts to address it in Uganda

Uganda is among the top ten countries in the world in terms of animal and plant diversity, and specifically, diversity of mammalian species. The major natural ecosystems are: forests, woodlands / savannahs, wetlands, and open water and mountain ecosystems.

In Uganda the IAS is a threat to the conservation of biodiversity through their proliferation and spread, displacing or killing native flora and fauna and affecting ecosystem services, including water and nutrient cycles and food chains

A preliminary list of IAS for Uganda (NARO 2002) includes species such as Lantana camara, Broussonetia papyrifera, Mimosa pigra and Senna spp. whose threat on native species has increased considerably. For example, Senna spectabilis has invaded over 1,000 ha of the Budongo Forest Reserve and vast areas of the Matiri Forest Reserve (Kyenjojo District) while Broussonetia papyrifera has covered vast areas of the Mabira Forest Reserve. Control strategies for these species are still being investigated (NARO, 2009).

Noting that introduction of alien species ruins Uganda’s biodiversity, the National Biodiversity Strategy ad Actin Plan (NBSAPI) developed in 2002 (framework for implementing its obligations under the Convention of Biodiversity as well as the setting of conservation priorities, channeling of investments and building of the necessary capacity for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in the country) had an initial implementation period of 10 years with a major review after 10 years. Uganda now has NBSAPII after the review

The priority areas for NBSAPII are also in line with National Vision 2040, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the National Development Plan II (NDP II). One of them is managing pollution and IAS.

Uganda’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan II seeks to address IAS among other challenges. To date Uganda also has put in place a Central node/Clearing House Mechanism (CHM) to facilitate information sharing among institutions involved in biodiversity conservation that is housed at National Environment Management Authority (NEMA Uganda).

In addition to this there are other specialized institutions that are contributing to addressing the IAS challenge in Uganda since NBSAPI. The follow-up NBSAP II has a goal is “to enhance biodiversity conservation, management and sustainable utilisation and fair sharing of its benefits by 2025” and 7 Strategic Objectives each with an Action Plan stretching from 2015 to 2025. NBSAPII also has national biodiversity targets that provide a framework for measuring progress in the implementation of NBSAPII and will be implemented by target champions (different actors including CSOs and communities).

Strategic Objective 3 of the NBSAPII is to put in place measures to reduce and manage negative impacts on biodiversity with various strategies including putting in place eradication and control measures for alien invasive species

Key issues / concerns about Target 15.8 of SDG15 in Uganda

The key obstacles to NBSAPI implementation largely remain unsolved today. These include:

• Inadequate financial resources for implementing planned activities; inadequate awareness of NBSAPI; Inadequate human and infrastructure capacity in certain fields of biodiversity conservation such as taxonomy and characterization of germplasm in the National Gene Bank; Inadequate managerial and technical capacity at the District and lower local Government levels for implementation of NBSAPI.
• Several tree and other plant species were introduced during the colonial period for example the eucalyptus, which have adapted quite well, colonizing and replacing indigenous species
• The threat to Plant Genetic Resources arising from loss of other indigenous species found in cultivated areas (e.g. Crotolaria jaburnifloria, Thumbergia alarta and Eluophia streptopetala (internationally protected), as well as increasing problems of invasive crop weeds (e.g. parasitic Striga, Couch grass and Lantana camara; This affects crop productivity and farmer’s incomes as these weeds lower crop yields and increases susceptibility of farmlands to increased pest and disease attacks
• Uganda’s lakes and rivers might be the ecosystems most affected by the introduction of exotic species and the consequent ecological changes in species and community composition. For example, invasive weeds like the water hyacinth is one of the primary threats to freshwater species in the Lake Victoria basin, where an estimated 76% of the region’s endemic freshwater species is threatened (IUCN, 2018). The introduction of Nile perch in Lake Victoria has caused an economic boom, but driving at least 200 species including caused cichlids, a native fish to extinction in the process (GISP, 2004).
• There is some concern that indigenous animal breeds are being undermined, as land becomes scarcer and the demand for high-yielding breeds increases as the rush to increase productivity overshadows the need to conserve these breeds.

Challenges

• The present tree planting activities of Uganda's National Forestry Authority (NFA), donors and other actors are focused on introduced species (Eucalyptus spp., Pinus spp. and Grevillea robusta). This could threaten the survival of native species if there are no guidelines for private tree planting
• There is still low level of awareness about IAS and its impact. For example, dodder (Cuscuta species) that afflicts many crops, ornamental and native plants virtually decimating them, is still considered an ornamental species in both urban and rural areas including amongst Kampala’s elites.
• There is low level of funding for biodiversity conservation activities (Environment and Natural Resources sector generally). With heavy expectation from donors to supplement proposed by Government allocation represent a substantive source of funding for the NBSAPII action plan. However, impact of invasive weeds needs a more predictable funding pattern, requiring fast response (water hyacinth infestation, etc).
• The present policies and legislation for management of terrestrial biodiversity on private land is inadequate, making actions to address IAS difficult to implement
• Similarly, the existing land tenure systems of land holdings, leasehold and customary holdings offer little incentive for protection and management of biodiversity on private land (for example maintenance of habitats and species are at the mercy of individual land owners)

Recommendations

• Support domestication of useful plants and animals, designing strategies and plans to incentivize protect threatened species on private lands, continuous collection and inventory of useful plant and animal species, designing and maintaining a comprehensive database inclusive of species diversity
• Building awareness in communities (indigenous and traditional knowledge and techniques toward the protection and safeguarding of Plant and Animal Genetic Resources) through seed banks, Indigenous Foods Festivals, IAS Campaigns in ‘hotspot’ areas, etc.
• More research on control strategies for IAS to be investigated
• NEMA Uganda should popularize and mobilize resources to implement Uganda’s NBSAPII (2015 – 25) amongst the different actors (target champions) especially the District Local Government, Local Communities, NGOs and Private sector.
• As part of the East African Community policy and legal processes, prevent new IAS invasions by improving their screening and surveillance procedures at border points

Nature-based solutions to the hazards and impacts of climate change | IIED

A new animation explaining the fundamental importance of nature-based solutions to the hazards and impacts of climate change.

Managing the Impacts of Climate Change on Poverty | World Bank (2015)

Poor people are already at high risk from climate-related shocks, including crop failures from reduced rainfall, spikes in food prices after extreme weather events, and increased incidence of diseases after heat waves and floods. Without rapid, inclusive and climate-smart development, together with emissions-reductions efforts that protect the poor, there could be more than 100 million additional people in poverty by 2030, particularly in Africa and South Asia.

The Talanoa Dialogue in Bonn: A Personal Reflection as a Non State Actor from the Global South

As a Non-Party Stakeholder from the Global South, I was excited to be selected to represent my organization - Uganda Coalition for Sustainable Development at the first face-to-face Talanoa Dialogue that was held in Bonn on May 6, 2018.

It was part of the 48th sessions of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) will convene in Bonn, Germany, from 30 April to 10 May 2018. The Bonn Climate Change Conference will also include the fifth part of the first session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA 1-5).

According the UNFCCC platfrom dedicated to this process, Talanoa is a traditional word used in Fiji and across the Pacific to reflect a process of inclusive, participatory and transparent dialogue. The purpose of Talanoa is to share stories, build empathy and to make wise decisions for the collective good. The process of Talanoa involves the sharing of ideas, skills and experience through storytelling.

During the process, participants build trust and advance knowledge through empathy and understanding. Blaming others and making critical observations are inconsistent with building mutual trust and respect, and therefore inconsistent with the Talanoa concept. Talanoa fosters stability and inclusiveness in dialogue by creating a safe space that embraces mutual respect for a platform for decision making for a greater good.

The first deadline for receipt of input from non-Party stakeholders was before the 2 April. The Talanoa Dialogue Platform received submissions from UNFCCC Parties as well as non-Party stakeholders on the three focal questions of the Dialogue: Where are we? Where do we want to go? How do we get there?

I participated in the Talanoa Dialogue in Koro room in the evening (16:00 - 18:00 hrs) on the question: How do we get there?. It was such a new atmosphere of interaction between negotiators and Non-State Actors, away from the traditional UNFCCC process of speaking through a representative (with a prepared statement) at a designated time, or informally through lobby rooms and informal interactions.

The setting was conducive, with a round set up of chairs only, no power point, and no computers as much as possible so that one can tell a story without any hindrance.

After listening for a while I booked with the facilitator to give my story, which I did in more or less the mandated 3 minutes and continued listening to others. It was such a rich two-hour schedule full of experiences, challenges, opportunities and solutions from across the globe, being put forward by the participants. Above all everyone was listened to. In my case, I feel that my message had semblance to those of the other Non State Actors in the room.

Much as the 'dialogue' was fine, it was more or less presenting each one's story with no discussion time. But I am sure that if all the stories told are collated, there will be common areas of convergence. These include stronger international cooperation, inclusiveness, participation, raising ambition at national and local levels (though different approaches on it), and promoting rights of vulnerable peoples, women and the poor among others. As I see it the next set of dialogues  at COP24 need to allow more interactions amongst participants (within the rule of the Talanoa Dialogue where finger pointing and shaming is not allowed among others).

Apart from this, the future seems to be in favor of this approach beyond COP24 in Poland and more so at the national level where launching national dialogues for context-specific opportunities for action to raise Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) ambition by 2020 is fast approaching as per the Paris Agreement. 

The Talanoa Dialogue inspiration could also potentially serve to galvanize collective local and national inputs, accountability and transparency in global negotiations, where duty bearers are under watch on decisions made and positions taken.

Earth day 2018 in Uganda: Marking Three Years Since the ‘Attempted’ Ban of Polyethylene (plastic) bags

Plastic is threatening our planet's survival, from poisoning and injuring marine life to disrupting human hormones, from littering our beaches and landscapes to clogging our streams and landfills. Together, we can make a difference. This is the rationale of Earth day 2018 on the theme, ‘End Plastic Pollution’.

Polyethylene (plastic) bags is part of the single-use plastics, or disposable plastics, that are used only once before they are thrown away or recycled. Others are things like plastic bags, straws, coffee stirrers, soda and water bottles and most food packaging.

In Uganda, the ban on single use plastic bags was spearheaded by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA Uganda) in April 2015, where a widely publicised campaign was launched and partly implemented. The proposal to ban polythene bags first came out in financial year 2007/8 but failed but it was not until April 16, 2015 when the NEMA officials backed by the police and Uganda Revenue Authority attempted to implement the ban by raiding supermarkets, impounding thousands of pieces of polythene bags. Therefore, 2018 Earth day marks three years since the attempted ban of Polyethylene (plastic) bags in Uganda. Uganda Coalition for Sustainable Development has been tweeting hashtag: #StopKaveeraNow in support of NEMA Uganda’s efforts.

Yet, although a ban was officially active from April 15, 2015, it has continued to meet several challenges, mainly from local manufacturers and importers who have insisted on having more consultations. A similar line of argument is held by regional manufacturers.

Discussions on the National Environment Management Bill (2017) are underway to replace the National Environment Act (1995), and make it conform with existing Government policies. The Bill proposes among others for the establishment of an Environmental Protection Force and Environmental Tribunal as well provision of enhanced penalties for offences under the Act. However, local manufacturers and importers have publicly come out to propose that Government of Uganda comes out with a better plan, rather than a blanket plastic ban.

Through their Umbrella, the Uganda Plastics Manufacturers and Recyclers Association (UPMRA), they have asked Parliament of Uganda to shelve this Bill until an amicable position is reached that will not affect their heavy investment into recycling technology since 2010. On the contrary, environmentalists led by Climate Action Network Uganda have demanded that stringent measures be put in the Bill to punish those who litter. They noted that “environmental concerns are more important than commercial interests.”

Amongst the East African Community Partner States, Rwanda has so far been steadfast in banning the polythene bags. Kenya that has recently taken the step to ban plastic bags has now cited plastics bags from neighbouring countries a challenge in the eradication of the polythene bags in its territory.

NEMA Kenya’s chief enforcement officer Mr Robert Orina was recently quoted by The East African Newspaper stating that “We have information that some business operators are still getting the commodity in bulks from the neighbouring countries mainly Uganda despite the ban that took effect in August 2017,”

Meanwhile, at the regional level in June 2016, the East African Legislative Assembly passed the EAC Polythene Materials Control Bill 2016 that seeks to impose a complete ban on the use, manufacture and importation of plastic bags in the East African Community after stagnating for five years. The Bill moved by Hon Patricia Hajabakiga, then Member from Rwanda aims at providing a legal framework for the preservation of a clean and healthy environment through the prohibition of manufacturing, sale, importation and use of polythene materials.

Justifying the move to have the regional law in place, Hon Hajabakiga stated that the Bill is intended to control the use of polythenes while advocating for the total ban of plastics. The mover noted several dangers of plastics and polythene materials notably soil degradation through burning of wastes, harmful emissions of toxics and the endangering of human and animal lives. She further indicates that while plastics can be burned, they emit chemicals and the corresponding photo-degradation has consequential impact on human and infrastructure.

So, while attempts to ban plastic bag are going on, there are several challenges including finding a win-win position for those who are for and those against this move, inadequate capacities to enforce the ban where it occurs in the individual countries, as well as the EAC level.

Above all, for Uganda Earth day 2018 theme to end plastic pollution is a time of reflection - to make a sincere decision on this once for all – to ban plastic bags or to maintain the status quo with its ecological and social consequences.

Gender Messaging: Regional Dialogue on Climate Resilient Growth and Devevelopment | CFADE

Gender messages from the Regional Dialogue on Climate Resilient Growth and Development in Bangkok, Thailand, organised by the UNDP and ACT.

Women’s Day 2018 in East Africa: “Time is Now: Rural and Urban Activists Transforming Women’s Lives” Through Implementing Pro-poor National Climate Actions

Over the last three decades the frequency of droughts and floods in East Africa have increased (for example, the 2016-2017 drought experienced in Kenya), resulting in crop failures and loss of livestock (EAC, 2017). Impacts of climate change are being acutely felt by women who make up a large percentage of poor communities worldwide that rely on natural resources for their livelihoods.

The theme for International Women’s Day, 8 March, is “Time is Now: Rural and urban activists transforming women’s lives”. This year, International Women’s Day comes on the heels of unprecedented global movement for women’s rights, equality and justice. This has taken the form of global marches and campaigns, on issues ranging from climate justice, sexual harassment and femicide to equal pay and women’s political representation.

Echoing the priority theme of the upcoming 62nd session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, International Women’s Day will also draw attention to the rights and activism of rural women, who make up over a quarter of the world population, and are being left behind in every measure of development including climate action.

A Report by UN Women, ‘Turning Promises into Action’ notes that climate change cannot be fully addressed by individual countries, but rather requires enhanced global cooperation from both policy-makers and non-party stakeholders in order to bring women’s voices and specific needs to the table.

The 2018 Women’s Day therefore comes at a time when there is near global consensus that successful action on climate change depends on the engagement of women as stakeholders and planners in ensuring that everyone has access to the resources they need to adapt to and mitigate climate change. Coming on the heels of the recently adopted Gender Action Plan at the twenty third UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP23). The aim of the Gender Action Plan is to ensure that women can influence climate change decisions, and that women and men are represented equally in all aspects of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), as a way to increase its effectiveness.

The Gender Action Plan sets out, in five priority areas, the activities that will help achieve this objective. These range from increasing knowledge and capacities of women and men through workshops and information exchanges, so that they can systematically integrate gender considerations in all areas of their work, to pursuing the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in national delegations, including women from grassroots organizations, local and indigenous peoples and women from Small Island Developing States. Other priority areas refer to the need to increase integration of the gender considerations—such as addressing women’s specific vulnerability to natural disasters as well as understanding women’s role in agriculture and food production, and supporting women entrepreneurs in the energy sector—into the areas of work of all Parties to the Convention; and to increase climate-related financial resources that integrate gender priorities and reflect the needs of women and girls. Lastly, the Gender Action Plan seeks to improve tracking of the implementation of the gender-related decisions.

In East Africa, Civil Society Organisations implementing the Project: Promoting implementation of the Paris Agreement (PIPA) in East Africa have recently raised a ‘red flag’ in form of a Policy Brief on the need integrate poverty eradication in implementation of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda), and have recommended measures that East African Community stakeholders can undertake to fully integrate poverty reduction in implementation of NDCs of the EAC Partner States. This Brief follows the PIPA project Partners’ submission at COP23 calling for development of the ‘Paris Rule book’ in order for the resulting NDCs and climate actions to mitigate climate change, build climate resilience, enhance sustainable development and above all reduce poverty in developing countries.

What is at Stake for Women in East Africa?

Poverty and climate change are among the most pressing challenges globally. The Paris Agreement set the goal to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels (UNFCCC, 2015). It is this goal that the international community has committed to, in or-der to address climate change. At the national level countries have determined what actions they are willing and able to take to achieve this goal, and communicate this through their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)1, including open discussions through the Talanoa Dialogue, to raise their ambitions.

In Eastern Africa, agriculture sector is dominated by small scale farmers and is the main source of livelihood in rural are-as. It drives the rural economy, accounting for approximately 25 percent of GDP (World Bank, 2017), 70 percent of employment and five billion USD in food export revenues every year (FAO, 2017). The sector is highly exposed to climate change as farming and livestock activities directly depend on climatic conditions. The majority of agricultural activity in the region is rain-fed, and therefore, susceptible to weather fluctuations. Over the last three decades the frequency of droughts and floods in East Africa have increased (for example, the 2016-2017 drought experienced in Kenya), resulting in crop failures and loss of livestock (EAC, 2017).

Another major constraint is related to unequal access to land that disfavours women. Furthermore in this region, large quantities of agricultural commodities produced by farmers tend to perish un-marketed as small-holder farmers lack technology for processing and preservation. In addition, irrigation facilities remain inferior and inaccessible to the poor.

Furthermore, with increasing soil erosion, nutrient depletion and land degradation, land resilience has been reduced and the effects of drought and floods exacerbated. The combination of deforestation due to croplands open, the extension of agriculture onto land with low potential, and the use of more basic farming techniques and technologies due to cost and capacity barriers, make the current agricultural system unsustainable in the long term.

Therefore women who largely make the bulk of the smallholder farmers primarily face the wrath of these unfavourable changes.

East Africa Partners’ NDCs: What is planned in the Agriculture Sector?

Agriculture is a priority sector for adaptation in all NDCs of the three countries. All the three countries aim to increase agricultural production and productivity, as well as create sustainable production systems and improve market for farm products.

In summary, the proposed priority adaptation and mitigation measures for the crop and livestock sectors in the NDCs of the three countries include improving land and water management, expanding information and early warning systems, expanding Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA), diversification of crops and livestock, strengthening extension services, expanding value addition and post-harvest handling, improving access to market and microfinances, expanding research, rangeland management and promotion of crop insurance. Crop pests and diseases are expected to in-crease as a result of regional warming due to climate change. Partner states should improve measures to overcome pests and diseases in next review of NDCs.

CSA seems to be a priority intervention to NDCs of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. CSA has the potential to increase sustainable productivity, increase the resilience of farming systems to climate impacts and mitigate climate change through greenhouse gas emission reductions and carbon sequestration. For smallholder women farmers in East Africa, the opportunities for greater food security and increased income together with greater resilience will be more important to adopting CSA. Often, food-insecure, resource-poor, smallholder women farmers in EAC partner state cannot afford to make a long-term investment required for many climate-smart agriculture practices, while market and institutional environments are not conductive.

What needs to change in the agriculture sector?

The agriculture sector NDCs in EAC should focus on improving livelihoods and income so that there is incentive for women smallholder farmers to invest in CSA.

Climate actions should also consider combining practices that deliver short-term benefits with those that give longer-term benefits to help reduce opportunity costs and provide greater incentives to women smallholder farmers to invest in better management practices. Existing production and market systems should be modified to facilitate equitable access for women smallholders to the technologies and financial resources they need to reduce vulnerability and risk.

What should different actors do to address the main constraints faced by women small holder farmers?

Overall, in order to integrate poverty reduction in implementation of NDCs of East African Community (EAC) Partner States, the East African Community Secretariat, Partner States, Civil Society, Private sector and development partners have a collective role to play.

For example the EAC secretariat should ensure clear alignment between Partner climate change policies and poverty reduction strategies (including gender related aspects) while reviewing the EAC’s Regional Climate Change Policy (2011), the Climate Change Strategy (2011/12 – 2015/2016), and the Climate Change Master Plan (2013 – 2033) to mainstream the Paris Agreement commitments

There are upcoming global, regional and national policy reviews for example the Global Stocktake. Here, EAC Partner States should take into account existing safeguards to address social exclusions and (gender) inequalities in order to guarantee existence of the poor women and other marginalized communities to cope with global warming and its effects. In addition, the relevant climate change ministries and departments should undertake specific efforts to ensure wider participation of the poor and their representatives in the implementation of the NDCs and their reviews.

Civil Society Organisations should mobilize citizens and citizen groups to regularly generate information and ideas for contribution to raise the ambition of the NDCs by highlighting the need to address poverty that affects millions especially women. In addition, CSOs should play a role in the promotion of tried and tested local technologies (amongst potential supporters) that have potential to enable poor women and other marginalised groups to adapt to the unpredictable climate change patterns in East Africa.

Among others, Development Partners should ensure that development cooperation support for implementation of NDCs in East Africa is sensitive to addressing poverty amongst women and other marginalised groups.

Read the full Policy Brief: Illuminating the need to integrate poverty reduction in Implementation of the NDCs in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda) from the PIPA Project Partners from here