UGANDA: Environmental experts and practitioners to gather and reflect of the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change
By Jacinta W. Odongo, Media Officer, Uganda Episcopal Conference
Environmental experts, practitioners, policy makers and selected segments of the general public will on Monday December 5, gather in Kampala for the 4th Caritas Uganda Annual Meeting to reflect on the 2015 Paris Agreement, Resolutions and its implications for Uganda’s response to climate change and its adverse impact on the population.
The Paris Agreement is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) dealing with greenhouse gases emissions mitigation, adaptation and finance. The Paris summit provided an ambitious target, namely, reducing emissions by 2020 through nationally determined contributions. The agreement was negotiated by representatives of 195 countries at the 21st Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC in Paris held last year in November, and adopted by consensus on December 12, 2015.
According to the Caritas Uganda Research and Advocacy Coordinator, the aim of the meeting is to provide an expert appraisal of Uganda’s response to the Paris Agreement as well as other key International Conventions and Protocols on the environment that Uganda as a country took part.
The annual meeting will be held under the theme, “Beyond Paris 2015: Enhancing Partnership in the Struggle to Save the Planet Earth.” It is expected to conclude with a set of recommendations for the way forward that will help the government to improve on the national performance on climate change and environment.
“Further, the meeting is expected to generate consensus and emphasize the need for stronger collaboration among environmental stakeholders in Uganda and efficient enforcement of environmental laws and policies as key success factors,” he explained.
A total of 82 participants have confirmed participation including two Government Ministers, 25 Members of Parliament and representatives from United Nations Agencies, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Disaster Preparedness, Ministry of Agriculture as well as Non-state environmental organizations. Other representatives will be from the President’s office, National Forestry, NEMA and National Chambers of Commerce, Diocesan Caritas Directors, religious leaders, cultural institutions and the media.
The event will be graced by Most Rev. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, the Archbishop of Kampala Archdiocese and President of Caritas Uganda.
