‘I lost but lifted Uganda’s flag high’ -Environment Minister Beatrice Anywar

While addressing the press at the Media center on the outcome of the United Nations Climate Change Conference that was held in Glasgow in 2021, the Minister of state for Water and Environment Hon Beatrice A. Anywar called upon Ugandans to adapt behavior change against climate.

According to Anywar, the Ugandan delegation she led  committed to developing a robust agenda for the climate finance goal 2025.

‘’I lifted the flag for Uganda in the just concluded elections though I lost, this has led me to another level because the world now knows what we can offer’’ she added emphasizing that she is also grateful for this recognition in the environmental sector.

The Minister also added that Uganda joined the rest of the world to sign the REDD+ declaration in November 2021that called for a renewed collective ambition towards halting and reversing forest loss and land degradation by 2030.

The  Minister also said  rescue efforts of Bugoma forest are still ongoing though she expressed her grief saying by the time a decision to save the first is made final , key tree species would have been lost.

Uganda in this conference was among the pilot countries for the Taskforce on Access to Climate Finance worth £100million chaired by the UK and Fiji which will provide capital grants to the most climate vulnerable countries to help them deliver ambitious climate plans.

Through the Ministries of Water and Environment plus that of local governments and support from UN Capital Development Fund, Uganda is set to implement Local Climate Adaptive Living facility worth 6.5 Euros with the aim of financing climate activities directly to local governments.

According to Hon. Beatrice, Uganda has embarked on the process of advancing specific decisions that include responding to calls for submissions from the UNFCCC Secretariat, operationalization of the Market Mechanisms to reduce emissions and also finalizing of the updated NDC and long term strategy plus also developing several projects in order to achieve the Glasgow Climate Pact.

The Minister concluded by saying that though there have been some short comings, the GCC gives Uganda a strong basis for concrete climate actions at the community level as they are still pressing the international community to support this action.