The Minister of Water and Environment, Sam Cheptoris, has highlighted Uganda’s priorities as the country joins the rest of the world at the 28th Session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (COP28).
While addressing the media at the Uganda Media Centre, the Minister said the latest COP negotiations are hinged on ensuring that the world meets the Paris Agreement’s central goal, which is “to strengthen the global response to the threat of Climate Change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.“
“The world is witnessing the devastating consequences of climate change and the severe strain on our natural resources,“ said the Minister.
In Uganda, the Minister said the effects of Climate Change have left “our country with significant and progressively perpetual losses and damage.“
Therefore, ahead of COP28, which commences on November 30, 2023, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (U.A.E), the Minister said Uganda’s key priorities include:
- Taking a position on the inevitable and essential phase-down of fossil fuels and calling for the tripling of renewable energy output to 11,000 gigawatts.
- A call for a comprehensive transformation of climate finance instead of piecemeal reform.
- Asking donors to double adaptation finance by 2025 and advocating for an advance of loss and damage funding during this COP.
Uganda’s delegation will be led by the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja.
