Carbon dioxide levels soar 40% higher than pre-industrial era, expert warns
He also noted that some law enforcement officers struggle with poor case investigations, corruption, and political interference.
Hoima: The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere has risen by 40% compared to pre-industrial levels, an environmental expert has revealed.
This was disclosed by Moses Ssemahunge, the Executive Director of the Bulindi Chimpanzee and Conservation Project, during a two-day training workshop for journalists in Hoima City on Tuesday.
The workshop, held at Kontik Hotel, was organized by Kanzi-Njema Media under the project “Heightening Environmental and Human Rights News Reporting Amid Oil Drilling in Uganda’s Albertine Region”, with support from the 11th Hour Project African Journalism Fund.
Ssemahunge noted that despite the 2016 Paris Agreement, an international accord aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change, progress remains slow.
While 190 countries ratified the agreement, developed nations pledged to mobilize $100 billion per year for climate action. However, this commitment has yet to be fully realized.
“To effectively combat climate change, there is a need for collective action and increased ambition from both governments and individuals,” Ssemahunge stated.
During the training, several experts and officials highlighted key challenges affecting climate action and environmental protection in Uganda:
Nasser Biira, the Executive Director of Recreation for Peace and Development, urged journalists to prioritize long-term investigative reporting over short-term gains.
“Journalists need to redefine their role, demand fair treatment, and uphold professionalism and ethics in their reporting,” Biira emphasized.
SP Julius Allan Hakiza, the Albertine Region Police Spokesperson, admitted that while Uganda has strong environmental laws, enforcement remains inadequate.
“Most climate change and environmental issues persist due to weak enforcement. We have good laws, but they remain on paper,” Hakiza said.
He also noted that some law enforcement officers struggle with poor case investigations, corruption, and political interference.
Betty Enangu Nangoli, the Regional Human Rights Officer for the Albertine and Kyankwanzi regions, highlighted land disputes as a major concern, particularly in areas affected by oil and gas projects and the construction of Hoima Stadium.
She also reported increasing cases of human-wildlife conflicts, where communities struggle with wild animals encroaching on their land and gender-based violence and child maintenance disputes, which are becoming more prevalent in oil-producing regions.
Experts at the workshop emphasized the need for stronger enforcement of environmental laws, increased climate financing commitments from developed nations, ethical and investigative journalism to expose environmental injustices and government intervention in land and human-wildlife conflicts.
As climate challenges intensify in Uganda’s oil-rich Albertine region, stakeholders continue to push for sustainable development and stronger environmental governance.
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