Uganda Launches its National SDG Implementation Roadmap

The Uganda Roadmap for creating an enabling environment for delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Uganda was launched on October 23, 2018 in Kampala by the Prime Minister – Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, attended by various actors including CSOs, Local Development Partners, media, private sector, UN and Government representatives.

Uganda has set up and operationalized structures for coordinating the implementation of the SDGs through partnerships and targeted resource mobilization. The Coordination framework provides for five multistakeholder Technical Working Groups comprising of sectors working groups; Development Partners; Private sector; and Civil Society was developed through consultative processes, under the leadership of Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), with support from the United Nations in Uganda. The five thematic groups are the backbone of the Coordination Framework as they serve the coordination role

The National SDG Roadmap supported by UNDP Uganda, operationalizes the Coordination Framework and provides priority actions to catalyze the implementation of SDGs across the country during implementation of the Second National Development Plan (NDPII, 2015/16 – 2019/20) under the National vision 2040.

While the Roadmap seeks UgShs 6.6 billion for actions to be implemented in the remaining NDPII period, Ugshs 1.2 is available within the Medium –Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) leaving a gap of UgShs 5.4 that needs to be mobilized. In addition, some critical activities of this roadmap have already taken shape ahead of its launch. For example a study to assess the policy and institutional gaps to support the implementation of the Agenda in Uganda.

Speaking at this launch, the Prime Minister called for more efforts and support to popularize the SDGs in Uganda. ‘I urge all stakeholders to walk the talk, rather than making declarations and high sounding statements’ he concluded. Rosa Malango, the UNDP and UN resident coordinator called for involvement of all Local Governments in implementing the Roadmap, as they are catalysts for realization of the SDGs.

Patricia Munabi (Executive Director, Forum for Women in Democracy) speaking on behalf of the National CSO Reference Group on SDGs, informed the meeting that CSOs were the first stakeholders to work on a localization process of the SDGs in Uganda by innovating a local ‘Leave No One Behind’ campaign dubbed “Tondeka Mabega”. She however noted that more work is required to ensure that Technical Working Groups are institutionalized and participation of CSOs on TWGs is increased.

In addition she flagged out the decline on social spending despite the fact that it will be critical to invest more it to ensure that no Ugandan is left behind. She flagged out the shrinking space of civil society demonstrated by restrictions on freedom of expression, assembly, office break-ins and freezing of institutional accounts, for the attention of Government to secure that CSOs can thrive well in order to genuinely contribute to implementation of the National SDG Roadmap.

Joachim Parker on behalf of the Local Development Partner’s Group raised concern over the continued decline in social service spending and urged for more efforts in domestic resource mobilization through Partnerships with non-state actors, while using the available resources efficiently.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. These 17 Goals build on the successes of the Millennium Development Goals, while including new areas such as climate change, economic inequality, innovation, sustainable consumption, peace and justice, among other priorities. The goals are interconnected – often the key to success on one will involve tackling issues more commonly associated with another.

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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

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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.