Uganda: Neglect of environmental sector threatens scorched earth

This research paper examines the marginalisation of the environmental sector in Uganda, highlighting the disconnect between the economic reliance of the rural population on natural resources and the lack of budgetary support for their preservation. It details the rapid loss of forests and wetlands, the drivers of deforestation, and the resulting social conflicts arising from 'degazetting' protected lands for industrial and agricultural use.

• Uganda's natural resource base is declining rapidly, with forest loss occurring at twice the rate of sub-Saharan Africa and nine times faster than the global average. This degradation is compounded by a population growth rate of 3.2% per year, adding approximately 1 million people annually and doubling the population every 20 years, which increases the risk of human-induced desertification.
• The Ugandan government prioritizes industrialization and production over environmental protection, often through 'degazetting'—the conversion of protected areas into productive land. This practice has led to significant conflict, such as the 1997 degazettement of over 1000 hectares of Namanve Forest Reserve for an industrial estate and the 2007 Save Mabira Campaign against the conversion of forests into a sugar plantation.
• Deforestation in Uganda is driven by a combination of land-use changes for manufacturing and a lack of affordable alternative energy, as the country relies on biomass for over 90% of its energy requirements.
• Tensions between economic development and conservation are escalating due to oil discoveries, with approximately 70% of these discoveries located in protected areas. This has led to opposition from civil society, specifically regarding proposed drilling in the Greater Virunga Transfrontier Park.
• There is a stark imbalance in the Ugandan budget where the significant income generated from natural resources is not matched by budgetary allocations for their sustainability, despite 88% of the population living in rural areas and depending on these resources for their livelihoods.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2011). Uganda: Neglect of environmental sector threatens scorched earth. https://saiia.org.za/research/uganda-neglect-of-environmental-sector-threatens-scorched-earth/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Uganda: Neglect of environmental sector threatens scorched earth. 2011. https://saiia.org.za/research/uganda-neglect-of-environmental-sector-threatens-scorched-earth/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Uganda: Neglect of environmental sector threatens scorched earth |date=6 February 2011 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/uganda-neglect-of-environmental-sector-threatens-scorched-earth/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2011uganda, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Uganda: Neglect of environmental sector threatens scorched earth}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2011}, month = feb, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/uganda-neglect-of-environmental-sector-threatens-scorched-earth/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }