A presentation made during the 2nd Uganda Water and Environment Week held in Entebbe, Uganda. It highlights the contribution of the Environment and Natural Resources Civil Society Organizations to advance Uganda along the green growth path to development and transformation. Furthermore, the key considerations to address for the civil society in Uganda to effectively deliver on this role at different scales.

1. Civil Society Organisation’s Contribution in
advancing Uganda’s Green Growth Path; A case of
the Environment and Natural Resources Civil Society
Organisations Network.
A presentation made during the 2nd Uganda Water and Environment Week held at the Water Resources
Institute, Entebbe, on 18th – 22nd March 2019.
Presented by: Ephrance Nakiyingi, Program Officer – CSOs and Networks’ Coordination at Environmental
Alert.
Co-Authors: Jolly Kayiita, Program Intern at Environmental Alert and Dr. Joshua Zake (PhD), Executive
Director, Environmental Alert.
On behalf of the ENR-CSO Network secretariat hosted at Environmental Alert
P.O. Box 11259 Kampala, Uganda, Tel: 0414510215;
ENR-CSO Website: http://enr-cso.org/
Corresponding Author: ed@envalert.org or joszake@gamil.com

2. Presentation outline
1. Background, context and Rationale
2. The current Framework that supports CSO operations in Uganda
3. Methods and approach
4. ENR-CSO network’s contribution to Uganda green growth
pathway through the inclusive Green Growth for Poverty
Reduction Program
5. Key emerging Issue
6. Key conclusions
7. Key recommendations
8. Acknowledgements
9. About the ENR-CSO network
10. About Environmental Alert

3. 1.0 Background and context to greening
Uganda’s economy
• Uganda has one of the highest population growth rate of 3.3%, thus ranked 32nd globally in
2018 and current population is estimated 45 million Ugandans. This means high/increasing
demand for environmental products and services.
• Uganda's current forest cover stands at 9% reducing from 24% as it was in 1999 (Sector
performance report by the MWE 2018).
• Degradation rates stands at 18% according to MWE report for 2018…..
• Poverty now stands at 27%, up from 19.7% in 2012/2013 according to the Uganda National
Household Survey 2016/17
• Declining Fish stocks e.g. 26 fish processing and export companies in 2005, only 5 are operating
today;
• High levels of unemployment especially youth unemployment 78% in 2012/13 and 66% in 2015;
• High income inequalities, regional imbalances, gender disparities
• Vulnerability to the adverse impacts of climate change and external shocks;
• Decreased potential for economic growth (3.9% in last two years), below the Vision and NDP II
targets

4. 1.0 Background and context to greening
Uganda’s economy
• What is a green economy? “an inclusive low emissions economic growth process that
emphasizes effective and efficient use of the country’s natural, human, and physical
capital while ensuring that natural assets continue to provide for present and future
generation.’’Its not a substitute for sustainable development – but facilitates achievement
of sustainable development (Uganda Green growth Strategy).
• Why a green economic development path? --sustainable consumption – environment & natural resource
use –reduced emissions/climate change mitigation –sustainable development –green growth
• Greening Uganda's economy is supported by the current, policy, institutional, strategic and
operational arrangements for implementation across various sectors (i.e. environment, natural
resources, agriculture, …) developed since 1994.The national commitment towards a green growth
pathway is based on the country’s current commitments to a green growth pathway as highlighted
below:-
– National Constitution,
– The National Environment Action Plan (NEAP)
– Several policies and laws and regulations spanning a 25-year period.
– The Comprehensive National Development Planning Framework (CNDPF) comprising Vision 2040, and the
National Development Plan (NDP) pathway
– The Uganda National Green Growth Strategy, 2017/18-2030/2031 ((NPA, 2017).

5. 2.0 CSOs and the current Framework that
supports CSO operations in Uganda
• Uganda’s Constitution as amended 1995 guarantees and acknowledges
the right of every Ugandan to engage in peaceful activities to influence the
policies of Government through civic organizations.
– Government fully acknowledges and recognizes the key role Non-Governmental
Organizations (NGOs) play in service delivery especially to marginalized groups, and
improving accountability of public institutions.
– CSOs provide a framework to monitor government programs, provide checks and
balances and policy recommendations.
• CSO role is further enshrined in The Non-Governmental Organizations Act,
2016,The Non-Governmental Organizations, Regulations, 2017.
• The Local Government Act 1997 specifically provides Civil Society
Organizations (CSOs) with an important role in service delivery at
community level.

6. 3.0 Methods and approaches
• Participatory Capacity needs assessment in the context
of green growth for 101 Environment and Natural Resources
Civil Society Organisations across the country and Strategic
engagements on the draft urban waste management policy
were conducted.
• The methodology for the assessment included: Key
informant interviews and Focused group discussions
administered with selected members of the network.
• An assessment report and a capacity building plan were
developed and validated by the relevant stakeholders at
both local and national levels.
• Furthermore, key policy issues and related
recommendations in respect to green growth were
presented and discussed during a national multi-
stakeholder platform, which involved over 30
participants comprising of representatives from relevant
line ministries, departments & authorities and Environment
and Natural Resources Civil Society Organisations, youth,
women and Indigenous People’s Organizations.
Figure 1: Participants during national multi-
stakeholder platform on green growth.
Photo by EMLI.

7. 4.0 ENR-CSO network’s contribution to Uganda
green growth pathway through the inclusive Green
Growth for Poverty Reduction Program
A) Partnerships with Government: Inclusive green growth for poverty reduction.
• In August 2018 the Govt of Uganda entered into a formal work partnership with the ENRCSO
Network with an aim of developing the ENR Sub sector.
• This partnership gave way to joint program development and implementation of the Inclusive green
growth for poverty reduction 5 year Program
-Specifically the ENRCSO charged with ensuring that 'By 2019, Relevant MDAs, LGs, Media and CSOs
with adequate technical, technological, operational and financial capacity to raise awareness and engage
the public in NRM, promote and document good community practices that link NRM to improved
livelihood and job creation.‘
B) Strengthened collectiveness for resilient livelihoods , resource use groups thru CFM and financial
inclusion, Community-Based Monitors (CBM) ensuring participation at community level, and the Inter-
District multi-stakeholder Forums
Consequently:
Strengthened capacity of CSOs to influence and undertake policy analysis at local, national and
international levels on scaling up of resilience models and making actionable
recommendations(CSO position paper on climate resilience) on promoting climate resilience and
refugee response to the government of Uganda through relevant MDAs

8. 4.0 ENR-CSO network’s contribution to Uganda
green growth pathway through the inclusive Green
Growth for Poverty Reduction Program
C) Apparently there is an elementary degree of awareness about green growth amongst
the targeted Environment and Natural Resources Civil Society Organisations, youth,
women and Indigenous People’s Organizations. They have also engaged the public in
natural resource management, promote and document good community practices that link
natural resource management to improved livelihood and job creation.
– 101 CSOs both at National and local levels.Central Uganda (21 CSOs), Albertine Region
(18 CSOs),Western (17 CSOs),Northern (15 CSOs),Eastern (14 CSOs),Karamoja (14
CSOs).
D) Ongoing Interventions are geared towards strengthening of the capacities of vulnerable
households, in particular women and youth, to deal with shocks through a range of approaches.
 Capacity needs with respect to advancing climate resilience and inclusive governance for
CSOs and Local governments within the Program operational areas have been identified.

9. • Capacity needs of the ENR- CSOs- including the
youth ,women associations and representatives of
indigenous communities have been identified and a
capacity building plan developed to guide capacity
building interventions for each region.
• An issues paper on Advancing Uganda along an
Inclusive Green Development Pathway: Issues for
policy and practice – A case of Solid Waste
Management was produced. With clear
recommendations to the Sector stakeholders
4.0 ENR-CSO network’s contribution to Uganda
green growth pathway through the inclusive
Green Growth for Poverty Reduction Program

10. 5.0 Key emerging issues
a. Weak coordination by Government in respect to regular reporting and
verification of the progress made towards implementation by sectors of the
targets under the National green growth strategy.
b. Uganda has not adequately advanced efforts to profile and popularise the
progress so far made and her subsequent plans towards a green economy.
c. Weak coordination among CSOs and networks engaging on green growth at
different levels and scales.
d. Most of the engagements on green growth have targeted and involved
stakeholders at the national levels, with limited engagement with
stakeholders (youth, women, indigenous peoples groups/associations, political
leaders) at the community and local level – yet this is were actual
implementation development programs across sectors happens.
e. Inadequate technological, technical, financial and operational capacities of
CSOs networks to fully deliver on their role as supporting entities to
government.

11. 6.0 Key conclusion
• Civil Society Organisations can effectively contribute to Uganda’s development along a
green growth pathway given their roles of advocacy and independent monitoring and
reporting for various Government development programs.
• However, they require adequate institutional capacity to effectively deliver on this role
effectively at all levels (community, local and national).
• The developed Environment and Natural Resources CSO’s institutional capacity
building plan developed within the framework of the Inclusive Green Growth for Poverty
Reduction Program is timely for implementation to bridge gaps, which limit effective CSO’s
engagement on aspects of green growth.

12. 7.0 Key recommendations
• The Government of Uganda and Development Partners should support implementation of the
Environment and Natural Resources CSOs Institutional capacity building plan to address their gaps
and needs (i.e. Technical, technological, financial) to advance their effective contribution to
deliver Uganda along a green growth path across different sectors.
• The green growth engagements in terms of awareness and training should be up-scaled to target
more stakeholders (youth, women, indigenous peoples groups/associations, Local
Governments) at the community and local levels across the country, where several
development programs are being implemented.
• The National Planning Authority and Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic
Development should develop and implement a framework for regular reporting and verification of
progress made across sectors towards achievement of the targets under the National Green
Growth Strategy for Uganda.
• Government Development Programs should have clear targets on creation of green jobs to step up
employment creation and income generation at household and community levels

13. 8.0 Acknowledgements
• Ministry of Water and Environment
• United Nations Development Program
• DANIDA Through CARE International in Uganda
• Environment and National resources Civil society Network
• District Local Governments

14. 9.0 About the ENR-CSO Network
• Founded in 2009 as a loose network whose Vision is, ‘Uganda’s natural environment
providing goods and services, on sustainable basis, for national socio-economic
development.’
• Mission: ‘To Mobilize CSOs to effectively promote good governance, effective
management and sustainable utilization of Uganda’s natural resources.’
• The ENR-CSO Network Secretariat is hosted at Environmental Alert.
• Further information is available at: http://enr-cso.org/

15. 10.0 About Environmental Alert
Environmental Alert was founded in 1988 and is officially
registered Non Government Organization with board. Thus, in
2018 – EA made 30 years of contribution to food security and
sustainable environment and natural resources management
in Uganda.
Environmental Alert is a 1st prize winner of the Energy globe
award for environmental sustainability- 2005 under the
category, earth.
Environmental Alert is a member of the International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and a Member of The IUCN
National Committee for Uganda.
Environmental Alert envisions, ‘Resilient and dignified
communities, managing their environment and natural
resources sustainably.’
Environmental Alert’s mission is to, ‘Contribute to improved
livelihoods of vulnerable communities by Enhancing
agricultural productivity and sustainable natural resources
management.
Further information about Environmental Alert is available at:
http://envalert.org/
Thank you for listening. For God and my County.
Environmental Alert hosts Secretariat for
following networks:
a) The Network for Civil Society
Organizations in Environment &
Natural Resources Sector (ENR-CSO
Network) http://enr-cso.org/ ;
b) Uganda Forestry Working Group
http://ufwg.envalert.org/;
c) The Standards Development Group;
and
d) Promoting Local Innovation in
ecologically oriented agriculture and
natural resources management
(PROLINNOVA-Uganda Network)
http://www.prolinnova.net/uganda.
e) National CSO network on
Renewable Energy.