THREATS AND IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE CASE STUDYUGANDA

THREATS AND IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE: CASE STUDYUGANDA ITU Workshop “Moving to a Green Economy through ICT Standards” 6 th -8 th September 2011 By: Nakiguli Helen Cynthia Uganda Communications Commission

CONTENT Background Threats/risks Current indicators/impacts Constraints of conservation and adaptation Possible strategies and interventions Proposed/potential interventions for ICTs to Tackle climate change • Conclusion • References • • • 2

BACKGROUND Uganda-Land locked country Popn-35 m with growth rate of 3%pa Wetland-15% of total land area⁽⁵⁾ Trees, forests, woodland 14% of land surface (45% in 1890)⁽⁵⁾ Holiday like weatherpleasant and enjoyable temp Agriculture as main stay of its economy (const. 34% of GDP, 81% of country's employment, therefore vulnerable to climatic variations) 3

THREATS/RISKS 7% of original wetland in Uganda-converted to other land issues -loss of biodiversity⁽²⁾ 82% of households use firewood for cooking, 15. 2% for charcoal, 94% biomass of all energy consumed⁽²⁾ Current rate of population growth is too high to ensure sustainable use of ENR 7% of households receive main grid electricity⁽¹⁾ Increasing demand of forest products and forest land Increased climate variability- too many rains in some areas and drought in other areasfarmers uncertain of cessation of rainfall seasons 4

CURRENT INDICATORS/IMPACTS Climate Variability Prolonged heavy rains Increased floods, Home displacement, Elnino rains (1997/98)- claimed lives-cholera Destroy infrastructure, Reduced agriculture prodn, Landslides -Bududa Shortage of rainsdrought Food shortage, Disease prone, Death 5

Mabira forest reserve(above), Siltation impact on lake Wamala (below)⁽⁸⁾ Wetland river bank degradation (above), Kampala-Byaise flooding (below)⁽⁸⁾ 6

CONSTRAINTS OF CONSERVATION/ADAPTATION Technical • Meteorological centers. Low capacity in both financial and human resources to acclimatize to climate change-Limited requisite expertise ⁽¹⁾ • Weak coordination mechanisms⁽¹⁾ • Un reliable scientific data Social Economic • Inadequate conceptualization of the importance of weather and climate information⁽¹⁾ • Limited awareness levels-comfortable with what we have/blindness- as it was, it shall forever be…. Low appreciation of the challenge • Increasing population-high agricultural and settlement demands Political • No safety regulations, policies, guidelines developed • Political interference and investments 7

POSSIBLE STRATEGIES AND INTERVENTIONS • National climate change policy • Identify every sector role in climate change actions • Identify how ICT can aid in monitoring, mitigation and adapting to climate change • Increase awareness • build capacity through institutional manpower development • strengthen climate /weather monitoring Implementation of the UNFCCCactivities⁽¹⁾ Redefine climate change into development planning Implement various climate change interventions and strategies Provide and promote incentives for clean development • Develop and implement incentive mechanisms for reduced emissions • E-waste management • Clean energy-renewable energy sources 8

PROPOSED/POTENTIAL INTERVENTIONS FOR ICTs TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE Green ICT services/facilities and products • Renewable energy sources for powering ICT facilities in rural areas • support smart communications- e-meetings, teleconferences Environmental monitoring • Construct automatic weather monitoring stations, early warning system in disaster prone areas⁽⁹⁾ • Data capturing and recording of GHG emissions • Build capacity in environmental monitoring using ICT E-waste management • Develop and implement an e-waste management policy • Establishment of regional collection centers, recycling and disposal of E-waste • Sensitisation of e-waste management • Incentives in place for e-waste collection 9

CONCLUSION • Current trends indicate persistent degradation in ENR • Reduced agricultural production • Climate change will affect every sector of development • Uganda is making concerted efforts to combat /deal with climate change • Important to identify priority activities that respond to adaptation of climate change-opportunities to develop climate change mitigation and adaptation programmes. • ICTs can play a major role in mitigating impacts of climate change as well as aiding climate change adaptation. 10

REFERENCES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. National Development Plan(Uganda)2010/11 State of the environment report for Uganda 2008 Climate change and agriculture 2008 Hidden Heat: Climate Change in Uganda (Google-20/8/2011) A content analysis report on climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation in Uganda (2001) Status of forests in Uganda- Africa Journal of Ecology Assessing the impacts of climate change in Uganda –World water assessment programme Applications of ecosystem approach in environmental inspections (NEMA) ICT and climate change- Ministry of ICT, Uganda 11