As the world marks World Environment Day, Uganda is grappling with the devastating impacts of climate change, deforestation, and land degradation.
Uganda’s wetlands, which cover over 15% of the country, are facing unprecedented threats from human activities such as agriculture, urbanization, and infrastructure development which have greatly affected whether patterns.
Dr. Gorettie Nabanoga, a climate scientist at Makerere University says, “The effects of climate change are evident in our country, from rising temperatures to unpredictable rainfall patterns, and it’s affecting our people’s livelihoods.”
Jane Nalunga, a conservationist with the Uganda Wildlife Authority has warned that, “Wetlands are crucial for our ecosystem, providing water, food, and shelter for millions of people. But we’re losing them at an alarming rate which may affect our own well being.”
Government has pledged to restore degraded wetlands and forests, but activists say more needs to be done to address the root causes of environmental degradation.
“We need to address the issues of poverty, inequality, and unsustainable development if we want to protect our environment,” said Dickens Kamugisha, a environmental activist with the Africa Institute for Energy Governance.
As the world marks World Environment Day, Ugandans are calling for urgent action to protect their environment and ensure a sustainable future.
“Government needs to do more, you will realize that most wetland encroachers are people within government, or have been shilded by government , this need to be addressed if we are to have a fair fight against environmental degradation.” said Mukisa Florence, a student at Nkumba University.
World Environment Day is celebrated annually on June 5. It is a global platform for inspiring positive change, and people from more than 150 countries participate in this United Nations international day, which celebrates environmental action and the power of governments, businesses and individuals to create a more sustainable world.
