Biomass To Balance: Building Resilience Through Law, Policy and Energy Transition in Uganda
Uganda, like many sub-Saharan African countries, remains susceptible to the impacts of climate change. Rising global temperatures have intensified the frequency and severity of extreme weather events with floods, unpredictable rainfall and drought disrupting Uganda’s agriculture dependent economy. For a country where more than 70% of the population depends on agriculture, these changes pose a direct threat to food security, livelihoods and ultimately national development.
This article explores Uganda’s climate regulatory framework designed to address these challenges and guide its transition toward sustainability from its national to international commitments, including the links to the energy sector. It also analyses the opportunities and challenges influencing its transition to a low carbon climate resilient energy.
Climate Change Context
The country’s highly climate-sensitive economy has made sectors such as agriculture increasingly unreliable due to the effects of drought and irregular rainfall patterns on crop production. Moreover, the erratic rainfall has caused mudslides and landslides that have led to the loss of lives and property.
Uganda contributes a small fraction – 0.09% as of 2021 – to global greenhouse gas emissions with the largest source of these emissions coming from the agricultural sector, primarily livestock and land use changes. Deforestation, driven by increased fuel demands from the growing population, has reduced the country's water catchment areas and natural carbon sinks, increasing the atmospheric amounts of carbon dioxide. The energy sector is also an emerging source of emissions due to increased demand for both electricity and household energy.
National Legal and Policy Frameworks
Recognising the need for regulatory intervention, Uganda has established climate governance laws and policies reflecting objectives for mitigation of national climate change concerns. The 2021 Climate Change Act serves as the cornerstone legislation in this regard. The Act mandates the creation of a transparent climate change framework and a National Climate Change Advisory committee for provision of technical advice and clarification of climate change obligations across government entities.
The 2015 National Climate Change Policy, through the adaptation of a well-developed approach, identifies adaptation, mitigation, monitoring and research as priority concerns. It articulates guiding principles, increases awareness as well as institutional capacity building to with the objective of ensuring a harmonised approach towards climate resilience and low carbon development for national sustainable development.
The above initiatives are aligned with Uganda’s long term development goals. Vision 2040 seeks to achieve a modern and prosperous nation calling economic sectors to establish climate change adaptation strategies. The National Development Plan (NDP) III also integrates climate action and sustainable practices in the Agricultural and Oil & Gas sectors by promoting climate-smart farming and tighter emission control through domestic refinement. Both sectors create revenue streams that can finance renewable and clean energy.
International Commitments
Uganda is an active participant in global climate governance. As a signatory under the Paris Agreement, Uganda submitted its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) in 2022, committing to a 24.7% reduction in national net greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. To reinforce its dedication to climate goals, the country recently launched their NDC 3.0.
The 2022 NDC prioritises climate change adaptation, targeting vulnerable sectors such as agriculture, forestry, energy and health. More than 80% of rural households use firewood for cooking which means there is a lot of ecological damage. Subsequently, the government has provided mitigation strategies with a focus on the widespread use of energy saving technologies and tree planting. At the regional level, the EAC Climate Change Policy governs the partner states and stakeholders on adaptation and mitigation strategies to reduce regional vulnerability.
Climate and Energy Linkages
Uganda’s energy sector plays a dual role in climate policy. Fossil fuel use and biomass reliance contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide and methane. However, the sector also offers a pathway to climate resilience through renewable energy expansion and clean cooking solutions . Natural resources such as the Nile River along which hydroelectric power stations have been built, supply hydropower which dominates approximately 90% of Uganda’s electricity generation supply. Even so, this remains an unreliable source of energy due to drought and electricity supply disparities, with about 60% of the population experiencing accessibility challenges.
Consequently, Uganda established the 2023 Energy Transition Plan, with the aim of developing its energy resources for equitable energy transition. This plan highlights solar power as the leading source of low cost generation, from which clean cooking has gained popularity whereby solar powered cooking can save 2-4 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per stove. Therefore its use would reduce deforestation levels and health risks associated with indoor air pollution when burning firewood. Though it remains one of the most under-invested divisions in the energy landscape, its environmental and human health benefits are irrefutable.
Institutional Governance Structures
The Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) leads national efforts in environmental resource management and climate policy coordination, as Uganda’s Accredited Entity to the Green Climate Fund . It has developed the National Climate Change Policy to guide mitigation and adaptation efforts across sectors in addition to leading initiatives like Uganda Water and Environment Week, and transition of refugee water systems to sustainable management models. However, its effectiveness has been constrained by budget limitations and implementation gaps, particularly in scaling climate adaptation programs.
The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has promoted climate resilience through stakeholder engagement and policy enforcement, aligned with Uganda’s Vision 2040 and Sustainable Development Goals. NEMA has made notable progress in digital governance through its Environment Licensing and Management Information System (ELMIS), which streamlines environmental approvals and enhances transparency. Still, enforcement capacity remains uneven, especially in rural and ecologically sensitive areas.
The Uganda Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) has played a pivotal role in Uganda’s renewable energy transition through programs like GET FiT Uganda where it has facilitated over 120 megawatts (MW) of clean energy projects, including small hydropower and solar installations. Uganda’s regulatory framework was ranked the best in Africa for five consecutive years by the African Development Bank’s Electricity Regulatory Index, scoring 84.6% in 2022 for regulatory governance, substance, and outcomes. Despite these achievements, challenges persist in scaling large renewable projects due to infrastructure gaps and coordination hurdles.
Implementation Challenges
While Uganda has made commendable strides, implementation remains a major hurdle. Financing gaps persist, as investment needed for renewable energy projects exceeds available resources. Uganda requires about $28.1 billion to implement adaptation and mitigation actions by 2030. Uganda relies on international support which often comes in the form of debt, adding more economic pressure in an already vulnerable region.
Limited institutional capacity is also a challenge as many agencies lack the expertise to enforce climate regulations effectively. There is weak coordination among the different environmental and energy bodies, and a limited capacity to collect and manage greenhouse gas data. Infrastructure gaps further complicate progress, with heavy reliance on biomass due to limited access to affordable electricity. The dependence of hydropower is popular on the Nile highlights the need to explore alternative electricity generation methods.
Public participation presents another challenge, as awareness of climate change remains low in rural areas where communities are more concerned with day-to-day survival. This barrier affects the adoption of climate-smart agriculture and conservation practices.
Way Forward
Despite these challenges, Uganda has several opportunities to strengthen its climate resilience. Climate finance can be leveraged through structures like the Green Climate Fund, unlocking more resources and funds necessary for adaptation projects and renewable energy. Additionally, Uganda has introduced a green taxonomy with UK support to vitalise sustainable investment. Exploring nature-based solutions also presents powerful opportunities. According to UNEP, nature-based solutions are measures taken to protect and restore ecosystems that benefit people and nature.
Forestry and wetlands restoration offer cost-effective mitigation and adaptation benefits. Reforestation projects, in particular, not only act as natural carbon sinks but also improve soil fertility and biodiversity. It proves vital to scale up these initiatives for the benefit of both climate and livelihoods. Strengthening legal enforcement and climate justice is another key pathway. While the Climate Change Act provides the platform for international climate agreements, strengthening legal systems is important in order to create accountability mechanisms that ensure equitable access to climate benefits and protect vulnerable populations. Regional cooperation also holds promise. As a member of the East African Community, Uganda can benefit from cross-border energy trade, shared climate data, and collaborative water resource management – for example, with Lake Victoria. Collaborating with other states can enhance climate preparedness.
Conclusion
Uganda has established a solid foundation for climate governance through its different policies and international commitments. However, gaps remain in financing, institutional capacity and public engagement. The intersection of climate change is particularly critical as the country seeks to balance industrialization with emissions reduction. Looking ahead, Uganda’s road to a low carbon future lies in harnessing renewable energy and leveraging international partnerships. By consistently addressing its climate challenges, Uganda can emerge as a leader in climate resilience and sustainable energy for East Africa.
