KANSANGA-A few days after Action Aid International has released a report on public financing in relation to climate crisis, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the country, have asked the government of Uganda to increase on funding allocated towards Agro ecology and renewable energy as one of the means of conserving the environment.
While addressing journalists on Monday, at Action Aid International Uganda offices during the launch of ground breaking report on corporate capture of public finance in relation to fueling climate change, CSO representatives revealed that the study findings emphasized the need for an urgent action to redirect public finance towards sustainable development pathways.
“We call for allocations of public finance to support industrial agriculture towards people just transitions from fossils fuels and led climate solutions. This includes investing in agro ecology practices and renewable energy systems that enhance food security and energy scaling up of decentralized renewable energy systems so as to provide energy access, and gender-responsive agricultural extension services training in agro ecology and adaptation.” remarked Xavier Ejoyi Action Aid international uganda Country Director.
He also urged wealthy countries to fulfil their commitment to provide global south countries like Uganda grant-based climate finance to support global south countries like Uganda.
“We have been working with various CSOs at International level in different countries, studying issues around climate change. We have realized that there are is a number of human activities contributing to climate crisis in the world today with the leading being continuous use of fossil fuel and large scale agriculture( producing crops and animal products for the purpose of industrial out put).”
Ejoyi further added that through out last week, they have been engaged in a number of activities aimed at amplifying the voices of the people as well as creating awareness around climate change and funding of fossil fuel activities.
Mercy Grace Munduru, the head of programs and fundraisiing at Action Aid International Uganda, while addressing the press revealed that for quite along period of time , they have been at the forefront of advocating for policy changes with an aim of addressing climate crisis.
“AAIU played a pivotal role in the formulation of Uganda’s first-ever National Agro ecology Strategy, aimed at promoting sustainable farming practices that enhance food security, environmental conservation, and ultimately reduction in green house gas emissions.”
That additionally, AAIU , partners, and the broader civil society sector have been advocating for the Climate Change Act which integrates finance strategy to ensure that resources are directed towards effective Climate Action.
“AAIU continues to promote clean energy technologies and agro ecology practices at grass root level aiming at building climate resilient communities and reduce the country’s dependence on fossils fuels and industrial agriculture. AAU and partners have also continued to advocate for the speedy implementation of the Loss and Damage Fund a financial mechanism to address the unavoidable and irreversible impacts of the climate crises.”
Eric Kizito , the Programmes Manager, Agro ecology & Sustainable Natural Resources at PELUM Uganda welcomed the report for being timely especially during this period when Ugandan farmers are being encouraged to adopt Agro ecology as a form of environmental conservation.
“We are in the process of finalizing with Agro ecology strategy and once this is done , Uganda will be the first country with such a strategy. With that in place we shall ask government to appreciate it by tabling it before Parliament for further action.
More about the Report
Last week , on 18th September 2024, Action Aid international launched the report entitled “How the finance fueling the climate crisis flows:Coporate capture of public finance fueling climate crisis in the Global South.
The report examines the use of and funds Global south and finds that the same industries that are causing the climate crisis and harming communities are also successfully squeezing Global South governments for the lion’s share of public finance.
It made findings that Industrial agriculture sector in the Global South has been receiving an annual average of US$ 238 billion in public subsidies every year, in the years between 2016 (when the Paris Agreement was signed) and 2021 (the most recent year with available data). In 2021 this figure came to US$ 276.4 billion.
That the fossil fuel sector has been receiving an even more shocking annual average of US$ 438.6 billion a year in publicly financed subsidies from Global South countries between 2016 and 2023.
Its the findings from the same report which pointed out that fossil fuel subsidies have steadily risen over this period, and in 2023 this came to US$ 495.3 billion.
