Ambrose Murangira
12 August 2008
opinion
Kampala — Today, Uganda joins the rest of the world to commemorate International Youth Day under the theme: "Youth and Climate Change: Time for Action."
It reminds me of a Ugandan delegate at the Commonwealth Youth Forum on November 15, 2007 during a plenary session "sustainable development and climate change." The delegate argued that since over 80 per cent of air pollution is produced by developed countries there is no need for developing countries to worry about climate change!
It is not only developed countries that cause global warming but even our own actions or decisions on natural resources can destroy ecosystem leading to global warming and eventually climate change which is now a global concern.
Such actions include environment degradation practices such as deforestation, reclamation of wetlands, careless disposal of polythene bags (poor cabbage collection practices) and waste generation per person per day, old electric household items, the cars we drive, greenhouse gases etc.
However, Ugandan environmental activists have been focusing on only government actions and they have totally forgotten that households are major contributors of climate change. There is endless talk on Mabira Forest giveaway.
Although the President has not yet confirmed his position on Mabira, he does not need lectures. He knows that Mabira reduces greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, contributes to rain formation, modifies and stabilises weather and balances rainfall patterns hence reducing dangers of climate change. I am sure the President will not allow Mabira to be cut down, so stop making noises.
Efforts should therefore be geared towards changing people's mindsets for them to recognise and respect our natural environment. Why?
Seventy per cent of forests in Uganda are privately owned, only 30 per cent is held under trust by the government for the citizens. So citizens themselves share a big responsibility in preserving natural resources (forest, water, land etc) which is the best way to control climate change. The FAO study last year indicated that the forest cover is lost at an alarming rate of 79,200 hectares per year. Is that government's action alone?
Ugandans should know that environmental degradation which is happening at an alarming rate in the country is increasing our vulnerability to climate change hazards.
The United Nations has said world temperatures will increase by 2.5 degrees centigrade by the year 2030, which will impact negatively on our livelihoods, national economies and bio-diversity will be affected. Ugandan population is most vulnerable because it entirely dependent on climate sensitive agricultural sector that is mainly rain-fed.
Young people as we gather to celebrate our day, here I serve you a meal for thought; what have you done in the past, what are you doing now, and what will you be doing tomorrow in the environmental initiatives?
Instead of making too many speeches and new promises, on every 12th day of August, the State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs should first make a ministerial statement reviewing what has been done, what has not been done on last year's recommendations.
The writer is a student of Masters in Social Sector Planning and Management, Makerere University
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 The Monitor. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
