Public urged to engage in environmental conservation

12 November 2025, 10:31 am

By Ronald Ssemagonja

Climate change refers to long term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. While such changes can occur naturally due to variations in solar activity or large volcanic eruptions, research indicates that since the 1800s, human activities have become the primary drivers of climate change. In East Africa, particularly Uganda, environmental specialists attribute this mainly to the continuous burning of fossil fuels such as coal, gas, and oil.

According to the Ministry of Water and Environment, Uganda’s greenhouse gas emissions are projected to increase by 2030 if proposed mitigation measures developed through various meetings and workshops are not implemented. It should be remembered that in 2021, Uganda joined the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, reaffirming her commitment to integrated actions that improve air quality while mitigating climate change.

Although Uganda is strengthening institutional capacity to address climate change and air pollution through the development of national ambient air quality regulations and standards and by integrating climate change and clean air strategies, there remains a strong need for collective efforts from all stakeholders to achieve these goals.

In 2023, during a meeting on climate change, Steven Mukasa, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Summit Uganda, emphasised that business leaders have a critical role in ensuring the success of climate change mitigation.
“We need to discover how we can embrace our businesses and communities by drawing inspiration from the global concept of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles alongside other sustainable initiatives in development, government, and business,” he stated.
“As key leaders, it is upon us to explore innovative initiatives and commit ourselves to integrating climate conscious practices into our organisations.”

Following that meeting, several companies began implementing some of the discussed initiatives. However, many believe they could achieve even more with greater government support, particularly through tax reductions and similar incentives.

When the National Resistance Movement (NRM) came to power in 1986, Uganda’s population stood at 14.7 million people. According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), as of January 31, 2024, the population had grown to 46.5 million. This tremendous growth, without an increase in land size, underscores the need for all citizens to collaborate with the government and development partners to protect the environment.

Similarly, health experts emphasise that personal and environmental wellbeing are closely linked. Dr. Ibrahim Achan, a medical practitioner from one of the country’s leading hospitals, urged Ugandans to prioritise living in a clean environment to reduce health risks.
“I’m happy you asked how we should behave to live longer and protect the environment. My response is simple, clean water,” he said. “Uganda is blessed with many water sources. My appeal to Ugandans is to take environmental conservation seriously. Without trees, we cannot have clean air, and it is that air we breathe. Let us plant more trees than we cut down, protect our swamps, which are like gold, and keep praying to God to protect us from the consequences of disobedience.”