Govt touts expressways, railway revival in fight against emissions at NDC 3.0 launch

_________________

The Government has identified strategic transport infrastructure, including the Kampala–Jinja Expressway, the Busega-Mpigi Road upgrade, and the revival of the East African railway, as critical tools for cutting transport-related emissions, easing congestion and boosting regional trade.

Officials say these projects are central to accelerating the country’s transition to a low-emission, climate-resilient economy.

These revelations were made on Tuesday (July 15 2025) during the official launch of Uganda’s third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0), a key roadmap for the country’s climate action and green development under the Paris Agreement.

The event, at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel, marked the start of a process to revise Uganda’s climate targets, update investment plans, and align sectoral strategies with national and global climate goals.

A photo moment of the technical team for the stocktake of Uganda updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) ahead of the inception workshop and launch of the NDC3.0. (Courtesy photo)

The event spearheaded by the environment ministry in partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the NDC Partnership, introduced the new NDC process as a chance to align Uganda’s climate goals with national development priorities, while addressing high-emission sectors like transport.

The 77-kilometre Kampala–Jinja Expressway is expected to significantly decongest traffic on one of the busiest trade corridors in East Africa, currently plagued by long delays and idling vehicles that burn fuel and pollute the atmosphere.

By reducing travel time from two hours to under one and enabling smoother flow for trucks and passenger vehicles, the expressway is projected to cut fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions substantially.

Similarly, the upgrade of the Busega-Mpigi Road, part of the Kampala–Masaka highway, will address bottlenecks along another key logistics route, facilitating faster movement of goods toward the Mutukula border of Tanzania and reducing emissions from long-haul trucking.

Climate mitigation

The third key investment, the planned revival of the Kampala–Malaba railway, is perhaps the most transformative in terms of climate mitigation.

Officials say shifting freight transport from roads to railway could reduce carbon emissions by up to 70% per ton-kilometre moved, while also lowering the cost of regional trade.

Transport experts say these projects are essential not just for mobility and trade but also for climate protection.

Grace Kivumbi, a transport policy researcher, said “traffic isn’t just a nuisance; it’s an emission source.”

She explained that “by replacing hours of traffic jam with seamless flow, roads like the Kampala–Jinja Expressway are effectively carbon-reduction tools,” and that the same applies to the Busega–Mpigi corridor, where trucks often idle for hours.

She also hailed the railway rehabilitation as a “climate-smart leap,” noting that rail systems are several times more energy efficient than diesel trucks.

Water ministry permanent secretary Alfred Okidi underscored the national significance of the NDC 3.0 process.

He described it as not just a climate obligation but a guiding framework for Uganda’s broader economic and social development vision.

“This third NDC will reflect Uganda’s national circumstances, resource potential, and future development aspirations. It is not just about carbon—it is about how we live, move, grow, and protect our communities,” Okidi said.

He emphasised the need for the updated NDC to be costed, data-driven, and practical, with strong links to national institutions, budget frameworks, and financial planning.

“We must embed the NDC into our national systems, including planning and budgeting processes.

In fact, it should align with the Bank of Uganda guidelines on climate risk management for financial institutions. This is a whole-of-government responsibility—and a whole-of-economy opportunity,” he said.

He further stressed that government agencies must see climate action as part of their mandate, especially in infrastructure, energy, water, agriculture, and health.

He welcomed the African Development Bank’s support for a national stocktake of the 2022 NDC and encouraged ministries that had not yet nominated focal points to the technical working group to act quickly.

“This NDC must be responsive, integrated, and fully implementable,” Okidi added.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) confirmed its financial and technical support to the process.

Timely and necessary

A representative from AfDB said Uganda’s investments in sustainable transport infrastructure are timely and necessary.

"In energy, we are supporting hydro and rural electrification. In transport, projects like the Kampala–Jinja Expressway and East African rail revival aim to reduce emissions, decongest cities, and promote regional trade,” the AfDB official noted.

The bank is also supporting a regional NDC support programme that includes Uganda, Ethiopia, Mozambique and Burkina Faso, with funding from the Africa Climate Change Fund to help governments review past climate action and formulate credible new commitments.

Uganda’s NDC 3.0 process is also being supported by HIT-GMP Consultants, who are leading the technical stocktake of the 2022 NDC update.

This evaluation is intended to provide evidence for setting new targets, identifying investment gaps, and fine-tuning Uganda’s climate policy framework.

Water ministry assistant commissioner for climate change Bob Natifu said the new NDC will scale up ambition across the board.

“The NDC is our national commitment to climate action. We’ve already had two NDCs—in 2016 and updated in 2022. Now, with NDC 3.0, we are increasing ambition with a focus on adaptation, enhanced mitigation, and scaling up climate finance,” Natifu said.

He called for active coordination across all government sectors and urged institutions to prioritise investment planning and monitoring mechanisms in their NDC contributions.

“We want ministries and institutions that haven’t yet nominated representatives to the technical group to do so. This is a whole-of-society approach,” he said.

Natifu noted that the ministry is working closely with AfDB to complete the stocktake of the 2022 NDC.

“We thank AfDB for coming in at the right time to help us assess how much of the updated NDC has been achieved. This stocktake is the first step in developing a robust and responsive NDC 3.0,” he said.

Margaret Athieno Mwebesa, the commissioner for climate change in the ministry, expressed appreciation for Uganda’s climate partners and emphasised that the upcoming NDC will be rooted in national laws and international commitments.

“We’ve received overwhelming pledges for NDC 3.0. I want to especially thank the NDC Partnership, African Development Bank, World Bank, UN agencies and many others for their technical and financial backing,” she said.

Mwebesa confirmed that the new NDC will align with Uganda’s Climate Change Act and Article 4 of the Paris Agreement, which requires all signatories to regularly update their national climate commitments.

She stressed that the updated NDC will not just be a technical paper but a costed, actionable investment guide.

Margaret Bariha, the regional manager for Anglophone at the NDC Partnership, said Uganda’s coordination has made it a model for other African countries. “Uganda is one of the few countries to receive nearly 100% of its support requests through the NDC Partnership. We commend your leadership and ambition,” she said.

Bariha emphasised the importance of transparency, alignment with national planning frameworks, and private sector engagement.

“This process must result in an NDC that is implementable, transparent, and attractive to investors,” she added.