Overview:

Uganda will launch the second phase of its Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency to enhance climate data accuracy and unlock future international climate finance.

KAMPALA, Uganda — The Ugandan government has secured a $1.5 million grant from the Global Environment Facility to improve how the country tracks and reports greenhouse gas emissions.

The funding, equivalent to approximately 5.6 billion shillings, is intended to enhance technical systems for data collection and processing. Dr. Alfred Okidi, permanent secretary for the Ministry of Water and Environment, said the investment is critical for meeting international obligations under the Paris Agreement.

Under the Paris Agreement, we are no longer just expected to try to reduce emissions; we are mandated to prove our progress, Okidi said Thursday during a strategic briefing at the ministry headquarters in Luzira.

Okidi noted that accurate reporting is essential for Uganda to maintain international credibility and access future climate financing. He emphasized a whole-of-nation approach, noting that much of the necessary data is held by private industries, civil society and academic institutions rather than the government alone.

The project, known as the Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) II, will be implemented by the ministry’s climate change department in partnership with the Africa Innovations Institute.

While the first phase of the project focused on cooperation between government agencies, this second phase will establish formal frameworks for non-state data providers to share information.

Felly Tusiime, the technical lead for the project, said the initiative includes training for 140 Ugandans in data collection and reporting.

By training the private sector and non-governmental organizations alongside government officials, we are creating a built-in verification system, Tusiime said.

Bob Natifu, the commissioner of climate change, said land use change and forestry remain the largest contributors to the country’s emissions, though transport and energy sectors are seeing rapid growth.

The meeting included representatives from the ministries of agriculture and energy, the National Environment Management Authority and the Uganda Bureau of Statistics.