My Environment

As global warming continually melts down Africa’s glaciers, the once green continent is reaching a tipping point. And the reduction in water levels, essential for agricultural production is creating food insecurity, increased flooding, silting of water bodies, increase in conflicts and greenhouse emissions, poverty and population displacement. The distorted micro climates which has affected dry season farming in various parts of the country. Human action has left Uganda’s climate variable and susceptible to flood and drought events, which have had negative socio-economic impact. The rate of forest cover loss in Uganda stands at 2.6% annually, one of the highest in the world. This is attributed to the fact that more than 80% of Uganda’s rural households use firewood for cooking. The high demand for wood fuel and limited access to energy saving alternatives means that forest cover is at risk of continued degradation.

In spite of their importance, wetlands in Uganda are facing severe encroachment, over exploitation and degradation. Population growth and industrialization are a major threat; creating increased demand for water, land for agriculture, settlements and development of industrial parks. This has subsequently increased encroachment on the fragile river banks, the swathes of urban and rural wetlands. Over the last 15 years however, Uganda has lost over 30% of the wetlands. The declining capacity for wetlands to provide critical ecosystem services. My Environment is a refugee owned environment restoration and protection project through which refugees contribute to building resilient communities and sustainable environmental ecosystems. Through this project, refugees are mobilized to actively engage energy saving and clean cooking technologies, as well as tree planting campaigns in public places such as schools, health centers, religious sites and along river banks in host communities. Our target is to plant and grow 200,000 different tree species by 2025 and build a plastic free environment by 2030.