LOCALISING THE CLIMATE CHANGE AGENDA:

FROM POLICIES TO PRACTICAL INTERVENTIONS

Dialogue in the build up to the 5th Annual Secretary Generals Forum under the theme:
15 Years of EAC: Towards a Borderless Community
By Kimbowa Richard
Programe Manager
Uganda Coalition for Sustainable Development (UCSD)
P.O.Box 27551 Kampala
Email: Ugandacoalition@infocom.co.ug | rkimbowa@ugandacoalition.or.ug
Website: www.ugandacoalition.or.ug

November 29, 2016

Sheraton Kampala Hotel

Localising the climate change agenda: from policies to practical interventions

Outline
What

is the
Community?

climate

change

agenda

policies?

Borderless

What are the current challenges to full implementation of this agenda /

policies?
What can be done by:
o Governments (Regional/ EAC; National and Local) ?
o Private Sector (a framework and some examples)?
o Civil Society?
Conclusion

Localising the climate change agenda: from policies to practical interventions

What is the Climate Change Agenda / Policies?
Uganda, is a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

(UNFCCC) borderless multilateral engagement mechanism and is one of the Least Developed
Countries (that have certain obligations prep. of NAPAs; waivers - Principle of "common but
differentiated responsibilities and respective capacities")
Borderless Community - socio-political and economic transformation to benefit / share risks

with all Partners (One people, One destiny) even if extremely diverse in size, geography,
culture, income level, and resource endowment.
Uganda vulnerable to global warming and climate change impacts but has one of the lowest

GHG emissions per capita in the world, estimated at 1.39 tons CO2, far below the global
average of approximately 7.99 tons of CO2 (Ugandas contribution to world's total green-house
emission is estimated at 0.099%).
Fulfilling commitments: With the coming in force of the Paris Agreement, Ugandas climate

actions are summed up in the (Intended) Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) submitted
to the UNFCCC secretariat ahead of COP21 in Paris last year & concretized on Marrakech this
year (Marrakech proclamation).

Localising the climate change agenda: from policies to practical interventions

Ugandas climate change priority action: reducing vulnerability and

addressing adaptation: agriculture & livestock, forestry, infrastructure

(with an emphasis on human settlements, social infrastructure and
transport), water, energy, health & disaster risk management. Sustainable
Land Management (SLM) & Climate Smart Agriculture scale - up to
increase resilience at grassroots level. A National Climate Change law to
support the Nat. Climate Change Policy in the offing.
Mitigation: Focus on implementation of a series of policies & measures:

energy supply (at least 3,200 Mw renewable electricity generation cap. by

2030 up from 729 Mw in 2013, forestry (increase forest cover to 21% by
2030) & wetlands management (increase wetland cover to 12% by 2030)
Crosscutting issues: Respect for human rights and gender-responsive
climate change actions. The protection of vulnerable groups.

Localising the climate change agenda: from policies to practical interventions

Ugandas National Climate Change Policy (2015), derived from the Constitution of

the Republic of Uganda (1995), amended in 2005 & 2015), reflect Uganda Vision
2040 (2012). These priorities also in NDP II 2015/16 - 2019/2020 (2015)
CC Dept; Operationalisation of inter instit. CC Tech Com; Guidelines for
mainstreaming CC in sector plans and budgets; operationalisation of the PFCC
Uganda Nat. Adaptation Plan (NAP) process aimed at addressing adaptation
needs (for all dev. countries) est. under Cancun Adapt. Framework
Regional: The East African Community Climate Change Policy; Uganda adopted
its Sustainable Energy for ALL Africa (SE4All) Action Agenda (SDG7): access to
clean & sust. cooking; access to electricity; Renewables; Energy efficiency in 2015
Global: Agenda 2030 (SDG 13 on climate change action that has links with others)
Uganda to commit resources to climate change-relevant strategies. BUT the full
implementation conditional on support of international community - from both
climate finance instruments and international market mechanisms
Uganda National Climate Change Policy + costed Implementation Strategy national sources are assumed to cover approx. 30% of incremental costs of the
activities in the next 15 years, with 70% assumed to originate from
international sources

Localising the climate change agenda: from policies to practical interventions

What are the current challenges to full implementation of this Agenda / policies?

Institutional lapses

Lack of institutional coordination + policy coherence - working in silos, policy

gaps ---- Need for clarification of mandates of the many institutions in the ENR
sector (NEMA, WMD, NFA, UWA, UNMA) breeds contest rather than
cooperation at expense of the huge challenges

Political interference in implementing CC based programmes orders to

bypass environmental legislations based on purely political grounds; no political
goodwill to support CC adaptation and mitigation initiatives esp. at local level
Enforcement lags

Key natural cushions - forest catchments, wetlands under threat - human

activities (impunity), pop. growth & rapid urbanization agric. expansion

demand for fuel wood fan intensity of weather extremes

Localising the climate change agenda: from policies to practical interventions

Resource limits
Finances: total for adaptation priority sectors = approx. USD 2.4 billion over the

next 15 years - $107.4 million / yr. needed) - NAP

No private sector mobilisation and action (Public Private Partnerships?)

tree planting symbolism. what about tree growing, Climate-Smart Agric.,

diffusion of renewable energies, energy efficiency, waste, transport, etc.
Low finance for climate change actions by Central & Local Govts vote funcn.

for UNMA; scale up adequate resources for impl. National Climate Change
Policy
Other Means of Implementation: capacity, technology transfer in the identified

key sectors.

Localising the climate change agenda: from policies to practical interventions

What can be done by CSOs / Private Sector / Government?
Government (EAC, Central and Local)
Regional (EAC)
Harmonise actions to manage natural resources policies, strategies,
legislations including funding set a goal for climate action financing
Develop a climate-change sensitive yardstick to which all regional
development plans and strategies and actions should be subject.
Secure existence of, and uphold global policies to protect of vulnerable
groups and fragile ecosystems while implementing the CC Agenda
Strengthen sharing of experiences and learning in implementation of NDCs
and other CC Agenda in EA.
Document and have a one-stop open access depository for real life
climate change solutions in key development sectors (sustainable energy,
agriculture, water) from micro - macro levels.

Localising the climate change agenda: from policies to practical interventions

National / Local Governments

National Govts
Popularise the potential + practically guide (set rules of the game)+ be pragmatic as a

clearing house on Public Private Partnerships for low carbon & climate resilient growth
strategies: Climate Smart Agric, diffusion of renewable energies, energy efficiency (with
CSOs & Private sector at national and local levels).
Mobilise ALL actors to implement the different aspects of the NDC c.f. Paris Agreement
provisions (concept of INDC/NDC implementation is still abstract and the actual activities
to help Uganda attain her NDC targets are yet to be concretely filled out and
implemented JSR 2016)
Inter. Instit. CC tech Com andn others to guide local governments and institutions to
increase budget allocations to CC actions as spelt out in the NDC
Enhancing climate change education, training and public awareness about the CC
Agenda, what options & opportunities
Ensuring human rights and gender-responsive climate change actions + protection of
vulnerable groups.
Map risks across regions and sectors to help companies make investment decisions
help them move faster in their efforts to reduce emissions and build adaptive capacity

Localising the climate change agenda: from policies to practical interventions

Myth: Too many still believe that climate action is impractical in an age of fiscal austerity and
incompatible with the bottom line. Others are waiting for a silver bullet either a new technology or
a policy incentive from government before they act. This is not true
Responsibility

to respect and uphold national laws and regulations to avoid harm e.g. environmental
externalities avoidance, even if such harms are not strictly speaking prohibited

Set

own targets (indiv. or pool) in contributing to NDCs (resource use & efficiency, capacity building,
tech. transfer) voluntary, transparent mechanisms, open to regular public disclosure / scrutiny.

Use

own transformational power of collaboration by working across industries in a borderless

community to share lessons, pioneer new approaches and technologies, test solutions and share costs
and resources - build cross-industry and cross-stakeholder partnerships (explore the potential North
South Partner Cities / Communities to reduce C-footprint & implement the SDGs)

Partnerships

with Civil Society and (Local) Government Adaptation, CSA, RE generation, Energy
efficiency. For example in Nigeria, an entrepreneur who is a radio presenter and a farmer himself,
turned to solar power to provide cheap and effective refrigeration to millions of farmers. He set up
solar-powered cold rooms in major markets, where farmers can store their produce for a daily fee.
Refrigeration extends the lifespan of vegetables from two to 21 days, reducing waste and boosting
farmers income.

Localising the climate change agenda: from policies to practical interventions

Strategic framework for private sector in the SDGs (UNCTAD)

Localising the climate change agenda: from policies to practical interventions

Current investment, investment needs and gaps and private sector
participation in key SDG sectors in developing countries

Localising the climate change agenda: from policies to practical interventions

Gap: Investment in Renewable Energy in East Africa

Localising the climate change agenda: from policies to practical interventions

Gap: The cook stoves dissemination

Localising the climate change agenda: from policies to practical interventions

Localising the climate change agenda: from policies to practical interventions

Civil society
Enhancing climate change education, training and public awareness about the CC

Agenda & options (incl. actions to build resilience and adaptation) & emerging
(technological) opportunities
Regularly pointing out level of (non) progress in implementation of the CC Agenda

(esp. NDC) to be subject to global stocktake - expected to assume more ambition with
time evidence for advocacy work for MOI finances, technology and capacity
building.
Regularly monitor and advocate for the plight of vulnerable groups & fragile

ecosystems to avoid any adverse negative impacts while implementing the CC Agenda
Partner with Local Governments, Private sector to implement the adaptation and

mitigation actions as spelled out in the NDC and the NCP

Localising the climate change agenda: from policies to practical interventions

Conclusion
A borderless EAC is vulnerable; Climate change gives rise to new and increased

demands for collective action = appropriate policies + institutions to implement

adaptation actions either in a space (e.g. a watershed, a forest) or sector e.g. along
the food chain, including to increase and adapt storage facilities
EAC cannot afford to be on its own, but be part of multilateral efforts to address CC

Paris Agreement. Collective climate actions (multi-actor & cross-sectoral) could prove
more effective than individual Partner action
The Climate Change Agenda and policies in Uganda / East Africa cannot be looked

on their own as they cut across all development sectors

There are emerging opportunities for practical interventions from public and private

sectors - price of alternative renewable energy particularly solar PV is going down

drastically for example, between 2013-2015 Africa installed 10 million solar home
systems; local innovative actions by CSOs and citizens