TotalEnergies commences implementation of biodiversity impact mitigation measures in Tilenga project area
“To restore and protect the Ramsar site, we are developing a management plan together with Nature Uganda to guide conservation efforts and reduce further degradation,” she explained.
Buliisa: TotalEnergies has commenced the implementation of biodiversity impact mitigation measures within the Tilenga Project Area, aimed at protecting environmentally sensitive ecosystems in the Albertine region.
According to Ms. Lilian Kempango, a Biodiversity Engineer at TotalEnergies, the company runs a comprehensive Biodiversity Programme that applies a mitigation hierarchy to avoid, minimise, restore, and address negative environmental impacts resulting from oil and gas activities.
Kempango explained that the programme is implemented under four key pillars: the Murchison Falls Protected Area, savannah grasslands, Budongo and Bugoma forests, and wetlands/Ramsar sites within the Tilenga Project Area.
She noted that the Albertine region is highly ecologically sensitive, with several ecosystems directly impacted by Tilenga project facilities.
“Currently, we are collaborating with Nature Uganda to implement impact mitigation measures at the Murchison Falls–Albert Delta Ramsar Site. Our aim is to ensure that the Ramsar site is conserved and well managed amidst oil and gas activities,” Kempango said.
She described the Murchison Falls–Albert Delta Ramsar Site as one of the internationally designated wetlands of ecological importance in the region. The site serves as a fish breeding ground and supports community livelihoods through fishing, water collection, crop cultivation, and grazing.
Kempango acknowledged that community activities have contributed to the degradation of the wetland, but noted that such degradation is often entirely attributed to TotalEnergies’ operations.
“To restore and protect the Ramsar site, we are developing a management plan together with Nature Uganda to guide conservation efforts and reduce further degradation,” she explained.
She added that the Ramsar site’s previous management plan expired in 2015, leaving districts without a proper tool for managing the wetland, which led to increased encroachment driven by survival needs.
Kempango said the project is introducing innovative restoration approaches, promoting alternative livelihoods to reduce dependence on wetlands, and conducting sensitisation programmes for community members, technocrats, and sub-county leaders. The initiative also includes the formation of Wetland/Ramsar Site User Committees.
In addition, demarcation and restoration of encroached hotspots will be carried out to enhance protection of the wetland.
Meanwhile, Mr. Wilson Kagoro, a Conservation Officer with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), described Ramsar sites as critical ecosystems that serve as breeding areas for fish and habitats for endangered, rare, and vulnerable species such as shoebills, pelicans, darters, and herons.
He noted that some bird species migrate from Europe to the Ramsar site during winter and return thereafter. He added that the site is also a habitat and breeding ground for reptiles and hippopotamuses, and supports fragile ecosystems.
Kagoro further revealed that the largest portion of the Ramsar site lies within Murchison Falls National Park.
He called upon stakeholders, including the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and the Ministry of Water and Environment, to take a leading role in protecting Ramsar sites.
“We also expect TotalEnergies to mitigate the impact of its activities on the entire environment. That is why the company was allocated limited space to develop oil wells within the national park,” Kagoro said.
According to Ms. Anke Barahukwa, a Programmes Officer at Nature Uganda, the organisation has been contracted by TotalEnergies to review and update community-based management plans for the Ramsar site.
She said the updated plans will support conservation and sustainable management of the wetland, while also contributing to the growth of the tourism sector in the country.
The Buliisa District Vice Chairperson, Vincent Mukonyezi, commended TotalEnergies for its efforts to mitigate environmental impacts as oil and gas activities continue in the district.
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