‘Climate change affecting devt’

May 12, 2009

THE environment state minister has warned that climate change is affecting development.

By Gerald Tenywa

THE environment state minister has warned that climate change is affecting development.

“During the dry season, a meningitis outbreak hits northern and north-eastern Uganda,” Jessica Eriyo said.

She noted that malaria and water-borne diseases were thriving because of the changing climate resulting from environmental destruction.

Eriyo was speaking at the launch of the Climate Action Network in Kampala last Tuesday.

The organisation will work with the Government prior to the United Nations’ climate change talks scheduled to take place in December in Copenhagen, Denmark. Eriyo expressed concern that funding to the environment sector was reducing, while that to the water sector had dropped from 5% to less than 2%.

She disclosed that the Belgian government would stop funding wetland conservation this year.

The coalition has been formed by over 40 organisations in Uganda led by Oxfam to bring the voices of the affected communities to the forefront of climate change negotiations.

Alyssa Boulares, the Oxfam Great Britain country director, said the initiative by civil society organisations will ensure that the views of the rural poor are heard.

Boulares warned that if the irregular rain patterns continued, Uganda was at risk of a looming disaster.

“Most Ugandans, especially the rural poor who are dependent on rainfall for agriculture, are at risk because they will soon have no harvests to feed their families, let alone send their children to school,” she said.

Turning up the Heat, a local NGO, warned that Uganda may continue having unequal distribution of rainfall.

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