Experts tasked to show benefits from sh120b forest payment system
The GCF has awarded Uganda $31m for restoring tree cover that helped reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere by 8 million tonnes between 2016 and 2017.
The Minister of State for Water, Beatrice Anywar, making her remarks after the launch. (Courtesy photo)
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Water state minister Beatrice Atim Anywar has tasked experts to explain to stakeholders in the forestry sector how they will benefit from the $31m (about sh120b) payment made to the Government by the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
The GCF has awarded Uganda $31m for restoring tree cover that helped reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere by 8 million tonnes between 2016 and 2017.
She made the call during the launch of the GCF REDD+ Results-Based Payments System project, through which the payment was made, on September 10, 2026, at Speke Resort Munyonyo.
Uganda's REDD+ Results-Based Payment (RBP) Project makes Uganda the first country in Africa to access results-based climate finance from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) for verified reductions in emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.
“My humble appeal is to let us benefit from this fund so that it can create impact in the community,” she said.
Anyar explained further that, as a country, the goal is to restore forest cover to 24% of the land cover by 2040, as stipulated in Uganda’s Vision 2040 planning framework.
She added that Uganda will use the project to meet some international and regional commitments, which include restoring the tree cover of 2.5 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 under the Bonn Challenge/AFRI-100, reducing greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere and reducing biodiversity loss by 2030, and stopping biodiversity loss by 2050.
According to water and environment ministry permanent secretary, Alfred Okot Okidi, the project, jointly implemented with the Food and Agriculture Organisation, shows international confidence in Uganda’s commitment to climate action and sustainable forest management.
“This project challenges us to reflect on the human pressure on Uganda’s forests, climate change impacts, community livelihoods, and sharing of carbon and non-carbon benefits with the communities,” he said.
Explaining the reward further, the Food and Agriculture Organisation country representative, Ezana Kasa, said the reward gives Uganda an opportunity to strengthen the systems and investments that can deliver the next generation of climate results.
“The project will strengthen Uganda's measurement, reporting and verification systems of its national forest monitoring system. This ensures continued benefit-sharing arrangements and its alignment between REDD+ and the country's nationally determined contributions,” Kasa said.
He added that the REDD+ proceeds will support practical investments in sustainable land management and agroforestry, sustainable fuelwood and charcoal, pole and timber plantations, and natural forest restoration.
At the same event, young conservationists were also recognised.