“If you do not yield to anyone’s advice, the world will teach you the lessons it wants you to learn,” my mother always said. Often, this was a cautionary tale and it usually came after realizing that no matter what she said or did, you would not yield to her advice. Somehow, this is the same attitude a number of people have towards addressing environmental destruction.
It is undeniable that as a species, human beings have immensely contributed to the challenges the world faces, including water stress, natural disasters, climate change and pandemics. The 2016 Human Development Report confirms these challenges. Although it also highlights that over the past quarter-century there has been impressive progress on many fronts in human development, this, unfortunately, is not all to the same extent, and even worse, not for every life. We take more than we need and in return leave a trail of destruction and waste. Consequently, eco-systems are losing their ability to adjust, leading to the “natural disasters” we face today in Uganda including effects of climate change namely, prolonged droughts, famine, floods and diseases. The effects of climate change have been visible over the years but like ostriches, we have been burying our heads in the sand.
The reality of climate change, however, hit home last year. It was no longer deniable. Different parts of Uganda including Karamoja,Teso, Western and Central sub-regions were severely hit by prolonged drought and famine. For the first time, regions known previously as food baskets became receivers of food aid and the crisis still looms. In spite of this, the country continues to face a number of environmental challenges including continued environmental degradation in forms of deforestation, wetland degradation, poor waste disposal, unsustainable land use including farming and mining. This is all happening in spite of existing environmental laws, policies and regulations aimed at protecting and conserving the environment.
So, exactly what actions were taken over the last few years to combat climate change?
read the blog here…https://www.ircwash.org/blog/taking-lessons-mother-nature