By Executive Editor

info@kampalagazette.com

The Government of Uganda has listed priorities ahead of the 28th Session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (COP28).

COP28 commences on November 30, 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (U.A.E).

While addressing the media at the Uganda Media Centre on Friday morning, Uganda’s Minister of Water and Environment, am Cheptoris, said the latest COP negotiations are hinged on ensuring that the world meets the Paris Agreement’s central goal, which is “to strengthen the global response to the threat of Climate Change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.“

“The world is witnessing the devastating consequences of climate change and the severe strain on our natural resources,“ said the Minister. 

In Uganda, the Minister said the effects of Climate Change has left “our country with significant and progressively perpetual losses and damage.“

However, the Minister said that the government is implementing a number of interventions through the several policies, laws, strategies among others and that some of the particular actions are meant to reduce carbon emissions, protect the country’s water bodies, and promote renewable energy resources.

Therefore, he said Uganda’s key priorities at COP28 include:

1. Take a firm position on the inevitable and essential phase-down of fossil fuels and call for the tripling of renewable energy output to 11,000 gigawatts.

2. Call for a comprehensive transformation of climate finance instead of piecemeal reform. According to the Minister, there should be a special focus on supporting climate-positive development across the Global Suth, to ensure that developing nations have access to affordable and available climate finance to drive a just transition.

3. The Minister said donors should double adaptation finance by 2025 in order for the world’s most vulnerable nations to withstand the impact of climate change. That donor country government should also honour their commitments to close up the US$ 100 billion pledge this year.

4. The Minister said Uganda expects a firm position on putting lives and livelihoods at the heart of the climate process with the aim of advancing the world’s focus on nature, food, health and resilience as part of a roburst framework for the global goal on adaptation.

5. COP created a loss and damage funding arrangements and fund that was to be approved by COP28. To this, he said, should be advanced during this COP.

Uganda’s delegation to COP28 in Dubai will be led by the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja.