OCTOBER 2018

THE EAST AFRICAN SUSWATCH E-BULLETIN

( F O R M E R L Y T H E L V E M P I I C I V I L S O C I E T Y W A T C H E B U L L E T IN )

A Monthly from the East African Sustainability Watch Network founded by Uganda Coalition for Sustainable
Development (UCSD), Tanzania Coalition for Sustainable Development (TCSD) and SusWatch Kenya

Kenya Environment Minister urges Regional Climate Change Conference to Embrace the most vulnerable
Groups in addressing climate change in Africa

The Seventh Conference on Climate Change and

Development in Africa (CCDA–VII) took place from 10th
to 12th October 2018 in Nairobi, Kenya with a strong call
for Africa to prepare and speak with one voice when it
goes to the next UN climate change talks (COP24) in
Katowice, Poland. The theme of the event was Climate
change and development in Africa: policies and actions
Discussion session during
for effective implementation of the Paris Agreement for
the Conference. Photo:
resilient economies in Africa
UNECA

Representing President Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya’s Environment and Forestry Minister, Keriako Tobiko regretted
that Africa is the most vulnerable continent despite contributing only about 4% to global greenhouse gas emissions.
He added that when Africa goes to argue its case at the global climate negotiations, delegates speak disjointedly.
He therefore called for a unified voice ahead of COP24.

“There are numerous practical and innovative solutions at community, sub-national, national and international level
that we should never ignore in Africa. Climate change affects all of us but it affects doubly the most vulnerable
members of our communities. So, we should always engage them because they also have the knowledge and
solutions,” said Minister Tobiko.

‘For Africa, is important that discussions and outcome of CCDA-VII contribute to build momentum towards the
upcoming COP 24 especially full implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)’, he advised.

A number of key messages emerged from the Conference. On advancing the Implementation of Nationally
Determined Contributions (NDCs) in Africa, the Conference noted that there is weak strategic alignment with
national development plans and wider Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In addition, there is limited
description of monitoring, review and reporting processes of climate actions. It is in this regard that the Conference
identified a need to align NDCs into national development plans, develop robust financial and investment plans,
put in place reliable data sources and comprehensive sector analyses. It was also noted that there is need to increase
on the role of private sector in NDC implementation; conduct a technical analysis of gaps in NDCs and put in place
mechanisms to close them. The Conference further went on to recommend a need to enhance legal and regulatory
frameworks for NDCs, carry out assessment of the economic cost of climate related disasters and to find synergies
between adaptation and mitigation

The CCDA is an initiative of the ClimDev-Africa Initiative, a tripartite programme of the African Union
Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).
It was conceived as a physical dialogue place to promote interaction between science and policy on issues related
to the climate change-development nexus.

This year’s meeting has attracted over 700 participants from member States, climate researchers, academia, civil
society organizations, private sector, youth, women and local government leaders, among others.
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Learn more about the CCDA–VII discussions and outcomes from: https://bit.ly/2yuXjhR
 CSOs Caution on Shrinking ‘Spaces’ at the Launch of the National SDG Roadmap in Uganda

The Uganda Roadmap for creating an enabling environment for delivering on

the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Uganda was launched on October
23, 2018 in Kampala by the Prime Minister – Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, attended
by various actors including CSOs, Local Development Partners, media, private
sector, UN and Government representatives.

Uganda has set up and operationalized structures for coordinating the

implementation of the SDGs through partnerships and targeted resource
mobilization. The Coordination framework provides for five multistakeholder
Technical Working Groups comprising of sectors working groups; Development
Speakers take picture with the
Partners; Private sector; and Civil Society was developed through consultative
Prime Minister – Dr R. Rugunda
processes, under the leadership of Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), with
(center) during the Launch.
Photo: OPM
support from the United Nations in Uganda. The five thematic groups are the
backbone of the Coordination Framework as they serve the coordination role

The National SDG Roadmap supported by UNDP Uganda, operationalizes the Coordination Framework and
provides priority actions to catalyze the implementation of SDGs across the country during implementation of the
Second National Development Plan (NDPII, 2015/16 – 2019/20) under the National vision 2040. While the
Roadmap seeks UgShs 6.6 billion for actions to be implemented in the remaining NDPII period, Ug. Shs 1.2 is
available within the Medium –Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) leaving a gap of Ug. Shs 5.4 that needs to be
mobilized. In addition, some critical activities of this roadmap have already taken shape ahead of its launch. For
example a study to assess the policy and institutional gaps to support the implementation of the Agenda in Uganda.

Speaking at this launch, the Prime Minister called for more efforts and support to popularize the SDGs in Uganda.
‘I urge all stakeholders to walk the talk, rather than making declarations and high sounding statements’ he
concluded. Rosa Malango, the UNDP and UN resident coordinator called for involvement of all Local Governments
in implementing the Roadmap, as they are catalysts for realization of the SDGs.

Patricia Munabi (Executive Director, Forum for Women in Democracy) speaking on behalf of the National CSO
Reference Group on SDGs, informed the meeting that CSOs were the first stakeholders to work on a localization
process of the SDGs in Uganda by innovating a local ‘Leave No One Behind’ campaign dubbed “Tondeka
Mabega”. She however noted that more work is required to ensure that Technical Working Groups are
institutionalized and participation of CSOs on TWGs
is increased. In addition she flagged out the
‘Act on the shrinking CSO Spaces to secure
decline on social spending despite the fact that it
that they thrive well to genuinely contribute to
will be critical to invest more it to ensure that no
Ugandan is left implementation of the National SDG Roadmap’ behind. She flagged out the
shrinking space of – CSO Representative civil society demonstrated by
restrictions on freedom of expression,
assembly, office break-ins and freezing of institutional accounts, for the attention of Government to secure that
CSOs can thrive well in order to genuinely contribute to implementation of the National SDG Roadmap.

Joachim Parker on behalf of the Local Development Partner’s Group raised concern over the continued decline in
social service spending and urged for more efforts in domestic resource mobilization through Partnerships with
non-state actors, while using the available resources efficiently.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action
to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. These 17 Goals build on
the successes of the Millennium Development Goals, while including new areas such as climate change, economic
inequality, innovation, sustainable consumption, peace and justice, among other priorities. The goals are
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interconnected – often the key to success on one will involve tackling issues more commonly associated with
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another. More about the 2030 Agenda for Sust. Dev. & the SDGs from: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs
 Kikandwa Environmental Association Observes Week of Living the Change in Mityana to Promote
Local Action to Protect Mother Earth from Climate change.

Event at the Community meeting at Kasejjere village in Mityana held on October 13, 2018. Photo: KEA

Sometimes it can feel like the environmental, economic and social issues the world
is currently facing are too big, too overwhelming, to be dealt with by individuals.
Climate change, resource limits, economic downturn, social disconnection. Surely
these issues can only be properly managed by our governments?

It is in this regard that Kikandwa Environmental Association (KEA) and the entire
Community gathered at Kasejjere village in Mityana district in Uganda on Saturday
13th October 2018, to reflect on this as they celebrated the Week of Living the Change in one of the village
community gardens. The theme was: “Promote Local Action to protect our Mother Earth from Climate Change”

This gathering attracted about 100 participants who included Muslims, Anglicans, Pentecostals, Catholics and other
faiths. During the gathering, there were discussions, preaching, sharing and discussions about various issues
relating to God’s creation. This focused on environment management
and climate change, how to take Interfaith: Gathering Involved simple and affordable actions to
combat climate change at the about 100 Muslims, Catholics, local level. Suggested actions
included riding bicycles, Anglicans, Pentecostals, and walking, using public means of
transport, economizing water use, participants from other faiths. voluntary community led clean ups
for roads and water sources, adoption of energy saving stoves and
solar appliances instead of kerosene lamps, practicing
sustainable agriculture and agro-ecological farming, minimizing the eating of meat or becoming vegans.

Towards the end of the gathering, participants took commitments which included reduction on eating meat and
others to become vegans completely, minimizing use of motor vehicle where possible, adopting organic farming
practices, commitment to get involved in community voluntary work, such as cleaning and mending their
community roads and cleaning their water sources, at the same time practicing water saving techniques.

Many participants committed themselves to change in light of the above discussions. The celebration was so
participatory, empowering, jovial, informative and spiritual. Participants agreed to keep on organizing Living the
Change events beyond the Week of Living the Change. To crown it all, a vegan feast with more than 90% indigenous
food and soft drinks was served. This inspired many participants to commit themselves to start preparing and sharing
vegan meals on such gathering and to start taking practical actions to combat climate change while reducing
greenhouse gas from the atmosphere after realizing that, there is a great connection between human beings,
ecosystems, our mother earth and God’s creation.

Support for the Week of Living the Change was from Living the Change, Green Faith and the Community itself.
Living the Change explores solutions to the global crises we face today - solutions any one of us can be part of -
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through the inspiring stories of people pioneering change in their own lives and in their communities in order to
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live in a sustainable and regenerative way.