Uganda launches work plan on climate change deal

Mar 28, 2015

The minister of environment Ephraim Kamuntu has launched a national framework tool which will be used in coming up with a work plan on actions and strategies to minimize global warming.


By Vivian Agaba & Edwinah Nassuna                 

The minister of environment Ephraim Kamuntu has launched a national framework tool which will be used in coming up with a work plan on actions and strategies to minimize global warming.


The work plan is also expected to contribute to the global deal on climate change that will be negotiated at the Paris 2015 Climate Conference (COP21) later in December.

 The Conference of Parties on Climate Change will be convened by the United Nations Convention to Combat Climate Change (UNFCCC) in France.

The tool titled ‘Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC)-Uganda’ will focus on undertaking an assessment of Uganda's ongoing and planned mitigation efforts and adaptation actions, and means of implementation.

It will also involve packaging and drafting Uganda's INDC for submission to the UNFCCC, facilitating a dialogue and stakeholder consultations inside and outside the government and developing an implementation plan and budget to attract both domestic and international support.

‘Three key areas’


Minister Kamuntu talked of the involvement of stakeholders in tackling the climate change problem.

 "There is political will from the government of Uganda to address the challenge of climate change. However, the problem is very massive that to reduce it, there is need for inclusiveness of all stakeholders – including development partners – because it affects everyone globally," he said.

“The spirit is there, the body is willing, but technology transfer, financial support and building human capacity are three key areas that we still need support from our development partners to address the issue of climate change.”
 


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The environment minister was speaking as the guest of honor at the launch of the INDC process in Uganda at Hotel Africana, Kampala.

He said climate change is a big problem affecting people's lives globally and should be conclusively addressed.

The workshop was attended by renowned academics, researchers, representatives from civil society organizations, activists, and students and organized by the ministry of water and environment.

Common responsibility

Alain Lafontaine, the team leader of experts under INDC, said the purpose of the INDC is to reduce emissions and avoid catastrophic climate change, adding that INDC must be clear, transparent and promote understanding among different stakeholders.

France's ambassador to Uganda, Sophie Makane has asked Uganda as chair of the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly and France as president and host country to have a common responsibility in convincing all countries to reach a legally binding agreement on climate change.

"Let us use our positions in this climate change conference to convince all countries to reach a legally binding agreement, sustainable, balanced between mitigation and adaptation, ambitious, enabling to contain global warming below two degrees centigrade [Celsius] and to help each country to adapt and face the impacts of climate change," she said.

Chebet Maikut, the acting commissioner of the climate change department in the ministry of water and environment, said launching of the INDC was the beginning process expected to outline Uganda's action plan on how to contribute to solving the problem of climate change and therefore consultations with different stakeholders will soon begin.

"As Uganda chairs the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly,  as a country, let us be seen to be actively working with other countries in coming up with contributions that will curb climate change, considering that less developed countries are the most affected because of our low economies.”

The approved INDC document will be submitted to the UNFCCC secretariat by September 2015.

The submitted INDCs will form the basis of an international climate agreement to be negotiated at COP21 in Paris in December 2015.
 

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