REDD is acknowledged as a potential source of mitigating the effects of climate change through making use of the remaining forests. It is crafted on the backdrop of scientific proof that deforestation releases 20% of atmospheric Green House Gases (GHGs). A swelling canopy of GHGs (with 80% from industrial emissions) holds heat which is now linked with global warming.
Hence, reversing deforestation controls emissions but more importantly, forests are carbon sinks that clean the atmosphere by absorbing GHGs. However, in Uganda, like in many forest rich African countries, there are inherent challenges that need to be taken into account as we set out to embrace REDD.
One of these is the fact that in Uganda, Environment and Natural Resources (forestry, wetlands, environment, weather and climate) subsector gets a paltry 0.6% of the total national budget, in a country that remains highly dependent on natural resources.
On the contrary, the sector still faces excessive dependence on donor support (66%). The implication of this is that Uganda cannot sustain the increasing initiatives to conserve and sustainably manage its natural resources except if Uganda commits more of its own resources to this sector that is opening up for ‘external support’. From history, this state of affairs creates conditions that might not tally with Uganda’s development priorities, aspirations of the local communities and the environment.
Uganda has a well developed decentralized structure that hinges on districts as the engines of local government operations. However, according to the Uganda Environment and Natural Resources Civil Society Organizations (2010), these structures receive dismal support. For example, it is paradoxical that the forestry and related natural resources sector which form the economic and revenue base for many of these districts (that have increased tremendously to date) and community livelihoods do not receive conditional grants, a bad example ‘copied’ from the Central Government. The result is that the is lack of manpower to manage forests and other natural resources at the district level; lack of operational budgets for those that have managed to fill these posts, resulting in unabated degradation and deforestation. FAO further estimates that Uganda is losing about 50,000 ha (0.8 per cent) of its forestland each year through deforestation.
Furthermore, according to Uganda’s National Environment Management Authority (2010), this is complicated by uncoordinated activities of other sectors, and agencies. For example, issuance of land titles in wetlands by Uganda Land Commission, approval of architectural plans in fragile ecosystems by urban authorities and weak enforcement of the law and regulations.
Nevertheless, Uganda’s National Forestry Authority has an ambitious five-year programme (2009/10 – 2013/14) to raise about 3million tree/ fruit seedlings for individual and community planting. But in view of the above ‘structural constraints’, there are questions of the sustainability of this efforts as lack of a well coordinated extension support, respect of the laws and regulations could put the investments into real jeopardy.
Lastly, Uganda’s demand for wood products is expected to grow fast - while the current consumption of round wood is estimated at 1.4 million cubic metres, with an annual increase in demand of about 2.5% equivalent to 500 ha needed for harvesting per year (National Forestry Authority, 2010).
While the National Forestry Authority that is supposed to supply a steady supply of wood products to supplement private owners, currently has over 70% of its plantations below 7 years (compared to the harvesting age of 20 years). This has implications for sustaining the rapidly increasing demand for timber and fuel wood. In addition, the absence of a reliable tree seed supply (currently imported) is currently costing Uganda huge sums of money.
In sum, getting the conditions right for implementation of REDD in Uganda requires Government of Uganda to address the institutional loopholes, increase in own funding to meet the ‘basics’ at the district and national levels, which will facilitate donors and other actors to come into play more evenly and systematically.
1 comment:
Thank you Mr. Kimbowa for this good update, i am from Bududa district where we have experienced, real catastrophe due to Climate change, or as the vegetation cover has been cleared due to public Demand,population Pressure on land/trees my concern is that how are we going to benefit or be benefited in terms of reforestation as the seeds, are Expensive for the community/ land own
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