Uganda set for global conference on climate change

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Government is set to present a position paper to mitigate the effects of climate change at a global climate change conference due to take place in United Arab Emirates (UAE).

This was revealed by Muhammed Semambo, the Principal Climate Change officer, ministry of water and environment during a preparatory meeting aimed; ‘Mitigating Climate Change’ at SKYZ Hotel international Kampala on Tuesday November 21, 2023.  

“The aim is to check on progress of the country’s implementations of the objectives to address climate change cases and its impacts,” Semambo said.

The meeting was organized by Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM Uganda) an association of regional networks of over 250 civil society organizations in 12 countries, Alliance for Food Sovereignty Africa in conjunction with ministries of Water and Environment, Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, organized the event.

According to Semambo, the global conference is organized by United Nations Climate Change Conference UNFCCC – COP28 due to take place in the first two weeks of December in Dubai.

He explained, Uganda is a member state of the 198 countries aimed at Preventing “dangerous” human interference with the climate system, the goal of the UNFCCC.

The prime minister, Robinah Nabbanja, is expected to lead the Ugandan delegation to Dubai,” Semambo said.

“The UNFCCC negotiations provide a political forum through which all countries may openly communicate their interests and challenges regarding enhancing climate technology action," he explained.

Semambo explained (UNFCCC) has a universal membership (198 Parties) and is the parent treaty of the 2015 Paris Agreement, where Uganda subscribes as a party calling for its attendance.

“The government is preparing climate change negotiators who meet at least twice a year, globally, to discuss and take decisions on how best to tackle climate change and to review the progress made," Semambo said.

A negotiator is a person permitted by the government to negotiate on its behalf on a specific framework.

He added, “Government is set to table seven thematic areas for negotiators at the conference that includes: mitigation to climate change, reducing the flow of heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, adaptation to climate change changes to moderate potential damages from opportunities associated with climate change.”

Others are; “Tackling loss or damages related to climate change, Technology used to minimize climate change, capacity building in negotiation, raising financial budgets for climate.”

Lawrence Kanakulya, Program Officer at (PELUM) said,

“By empowering Uganda's COP negotiators with a deeper understanding of agroecology, PELUM Uganda aims at ensuring that Uganda’s voice is heard at COP28 and that sustainable agricultural practices are given due consideration in global climate negotiations.

The initiative also aligns with Uganda's commitment to the Paris Agreement and its efforts to address the impacts of climate change on agriculture and food security."

“In preparation for the upcoming COP28, PELUM Uganda is taking steps to build the capacity of Uganda's COP negotiators on Agroecology. This move comes at a crucial time as the world is facing increasing challenges related to climate change and the need for sustainable agricultural practices,” Kanakulya said.

Uganda’s negotiators speak out

Francis Nsamba, Project Manager Knowledge Hub for Organic Agriculture in Eastern Africa, discussing about agroecology during engagement of Uganda negotiators on Agroecology and development of Uganda position paper a head of COP28 scheduled at SKYZ Hotel Kampala on November 22, 2023. (Photo by Mary Kansiime)

Francis Nsamba, project manager Knowledge Hub for Organic Agriculture in Eastern Africa (KHEA) said,

“We are expected to negotiate on matters of national interests and climate change mitigation. Climate change is directly contributing to humanitarian emergencies from heatwaves, wildfires, floods, tropical storms and hurricanes he attributed the frequency and intensity due to increased human activities human settlement, poor agricultural methods and deforestation," he noted.

He explained that Fossil fuels produce large quantities of carbon dioxide when burnt. Carbon emissions trap heat in the atmosphere and lead to climate change.

Imelda Kanzomba, the climate change focal person and Principal Agriculture Officer in the ministry of agriculture said,

“The negotiations are on different themes under adaptation for agriculture."

She explained, Uganda is a party that negotiates under the G77, European Union and China.

“The government should support the negotiators because they implement the government’s roles in upcoming negotiations," Kanzomba said.

Fred Onduri Machulu, the lead negotiator for low Developed Countries on Technology and development said,

“Uganda calls for adoption of agroecology. It promotes farming practices that mitigate climate change - reducing emissions, recycling resources and prioritizing local supply chains.

Agroecology is sustainable farming that works with nature. Ecology is the study of relationships between plants, animals, people, and their environment - and the balance between these relationships.

Agroecology is the application of ecological concepts and principles in farming.