How research and engagement influenced Uganda’s climate change adaptation landscape

This case study examines the process and impact of an economic assessment of climate change impacts and adaptation options in Uganda conducted between 2013 and 2015. The study, supported by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) and owned by the Ministry of Water and Environment, aimed to provide monetary evidence of the 'cost of inaction' to influence high-level policy-makers and secure investment for climate adaptation.

• The economic assessment concluded that the 'cost of inaction' regarding climate change in Uganda was 20–24 times higher than the cost of taking action or adapting, with the latter estimated between US$ 273–427 billion.
• The study's findings were used to integrate climate change into national planning, specifically influencing the Second National Development Plan (NDP II) for 2015/16–2019/20 and the Third National Development Plan (NDP III) for 2020/21–2024/25.
• The evidence generated by the study contributed to institutional strengthening by facilitating the elevation of the Climate Change Unit into a formal Climate Change Department within the Ministry of Water and Environment in July 2014.
• The study provided a data foundation for the National Climate Change Act 2021, which was passed by Parliament in April 2021 and came into force in January 2022.
• The research results were used to secure international climate finance, including an approved National Adaptation Plan readiness proposal submitted to the Green Climate Fund.
• Successful uptake of the research was attributed to several enablers: continuous engagement with top leadership, a permanent in-country presence (via a Country Engagement Lead), a consultative approach involving over 500 stakeholders, and the use of 'layered' knowledge products like a documentary film and policy booklet.
• Despite national successes, mainstreaming climate change at the sub-national level remains difficult due to weak technical capacity and a lack of dedicated funding, with the exception of the Kampala Capital City Authority, which used the study to inform its 2016 Climate Change Action Strategy.
• The Ministry of Finance began addressing budget tracking gaps in 2018 through a Climate Change Budget Tagging (CCBT) process, supported by the World Bank, to identify and track climate allocations in the national budget.

APA

Twinomuhangi, R., Scodanibbio, L., McNamara, L., & Kasagazi, S. M. (2022). How research and engagement influenced Uganda’s climate change adaptation landscape. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2022-08/CDKN%20Uganda%20Learning%20Story%20web.pdf

Chicago

Twinomuhangi, Revocatus, Lucia Scodanibbio, Lisa McNamara, and Semambo Muhammad Kasagazi. How research and engagement influenced Uganda’s climate change adaptation landscape. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2022. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2022-08/CDKN%20Uganda%20Learning%20Story%20web.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Twinomuhangi |first1=Revocatus |last2=Scodanibbio |first2=Lucia |last3=McNamara |first3=Lisa |last4=Kasagazi |first4=Semambo Muhammad |title=How research and engagement influenced Uganda’s climate change adaptation landscape |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=August 2022 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2022-08/CDKN%20Uganda%20Learning%20Story%20web.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{twinomuhangi2022how, author = {Twinomuhangi, Revocatus and Scodanibbio, Lucia and McNamara, Lisa and Kasagazi, Semambo Muhammad}, title = {{How research and engagement influenced Uganda’s climate change adaptation landscape}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2022}, month = aug, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2022-08/CDKN%20Uganda%20Learning%20Story%20web.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }