Ebenezer T. Bifubyeka (Ten)In Mbarara, Western Uganda.
HE who doesn’t take heed pays expensively! Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warns that over 80% of Uganda will become a desert in less than 100 years if the current climate changes are not addressed.
Global warming and green-house gases have caused temperature to rise; with south-western Uganda being most affected. This is evidenced by the reduction of the water table in Kashari County in Mbarara, the declining of water levels in Katonga wetland system, Lake Mburo, River Rwizi, Kitagata hot spring, Lake Nakivale, the decline in food production and persistent droughts since 1990.
FAO representative in Uganda, Percy Misika says, temperatures are still rising; and if they reach two degrees Celsius, over 80% of the country would turn into a desert. Unless the trend is reversed, global warming would rise to between 1.4 and 5.8 degrees Celsius by 2100 (The New Vision, September 18, page 6).
“Nyantahurira akarya eriisho rye,” (Runyankore-Rukiga proverb, which translates to “Mr. Advice-ignorer ate his own eye)!” People might feel complacent because they know they would have decomposed in 100 years when climate change will turn fatal. But we are already experiencing the consequences of environmental degradation:
Climate change in Karamoja region, where all plans are confined in forest reserves, has escalated to seven droughts that hit the region between 1991 and 2000 as opposed to the usual one every 10 years! This is not to mention the 40% drop in the ice caps on Mountain Rwenzori, which has resulted to the decrease of river flows and freshwater!
Global warming is a global issue. The Norway’s Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg suggests; “To win the battle against global warming, we have to win the battle against global deforestation.” Stoltenberg Last Tuesday said the government of Norway will donate US$1bn to Brazil’s government fund dedicated to replenish the 11,200 square kilometers of Amazon forest that were destroyed last year.
Unlike Uganda, other countries are preparing themselves to battle this monster masking as global warming. According to the Consultant for ‘Billion Tree Campaign’ in the Division of Communications and Public Information in United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Leah Wanambwa, Ethiopia has planted 700 million trees, Turkey - 400 million and Mexico - 260 million. Kenya plants one billion trees annually!
How many trees has Uganda planted? We are only good at harvesting them: about 55,000 hectares of forest cover in Uganda are lost every year, according to the state minister for environment, Jesca Eriyo.
Uganda should participate in the Billion Tree Campaign that aims at neutralising the escalating global warming by planting seven billion trees across the world by the crucial climate change meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark in late 2009.
Billion Tree Campaign’s website has registered 2.2 billion planted trees and 3.9 billion tree planting pledges from across the world. Participants come from all spheres of society, from the grassroots level to the highest positions in decision-making.
Initiated by UNEP, the worldwide Billion Tree Campaign was launched in November 2006 as one of the responses to the threat of global warming, as well as to the wider sustainability challenges from water supplies to biodiversity loss.
Billion Tree Campaign under the patronage of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Professor Wangari Maathai and His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco; intends to empowering individuals, communities, business and industry, non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations and governments to take simple, positive steps to protect our climate.
Any willing patriotic citizen should enter tree planting pledges on-line at www.unep.org/billiontreecampaign and once the trees have been planted, they are required to revisit the website and register the number of planted trees.
Let’s use this Billion Tree Campaign as a motivation drive to keep the looming desertification at a distance. I therefore appeal to our leaders to sensitise, encourage and motivate the public to participate in Billion Tree Campaign and save our country from the looming desertification.
FAO representative in Uganda, Percy Misika says, temperatures are still rising; and if they reach two degrees Celsius, over 80% of the country would turn into a desert. Unless the trend is reversed, global warming would rise to between 1.4 and 5.8 degrees Celsius by 2100 (The New Vision, September 18, page 6).
“Nyantahurira akarya eriisho rye,” (Runyankore-Rukiga proverb, which translates to “Mr. Advice-ignorer ate his own eye)!” People might feel complacent because they know they would have decomposed in 100 years when climate change will turn fatal. But we are already experiencing the consequences of environmental degradation:
Climate change in Karamoja region, where all plans are confined in forest reserves, has escalated to seven droughts that hit the region between 1991 and 2000 as opposed to the usual one every 10 years! This is not to mention the 40% drop in the ice caps on Mountain Rwenzori, which has resulted to the decrease of river flows and freshwater!
Global warming is a global issue. The Norway’s Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg suggests; “To win the battle against global warming, we have to win the battle against global deforestation.” Stoltenberg Last Tuesday said the government of Norway will donate US$1bn to Brazil’s government fund dedicated to replenish the 11,200 square kilometers of Amazon forest that were destroyed last year.
Unlike Uganda, other countries are preparing themselves to battle this monster masking as global warming. According to the Consultant for ‘Billion Tree Campaign’ in the Division of Communications and Public Information in United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Leah Wanambwa, Ethiopia has planted 700 million trees, Turkey - 400 million and Mexico - 260 million. Kenya plants one billion trees annually!
How many trees has Uganda planted? We are only good at harvesting them: about 55,000 hectares of forest cover in Uganda are lost every year, according to the state minister for environment, Jesca Eriyo.
Uganda should participate in the Billion Tree Campaign that aims at neutralising the escalating global warming by planting seven billion trees across the world by the crucial climate change meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark in late 2009.
Billion Tree Campaign’s website has registered 2.2 billion planted trees and 3.9 billion tree planting pledges from across the world. Participants come from all spheres of society, from the grassroots level to the highest positions in decision-making.
Initiated by UNEP, the worldwide Billion Tree Campaign was launched in November 2006 as one of the responses to the threat of global warming, as well as to the wider sustainability challenges from water supplies to biodiversity loss.
Billion Tree Campaign under the patronage of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Professor Wangari Maathai and His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco; intends to empowering individuals, communities, business and industry, non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations and governments to take simple, positive steps to protect our climate.
Any willing patriotic citizen should enter tree planting pledges on-line at www.unep.org/billiontreecampaign and once the trees have been planted, they are required to revisit the website and register the number of planted trees.
Let’s use this Billion Tree Campaign as a motivation drive to keep the looming desertification at a distance. I therefore appeal to our leaders to sensitise, encourage and motivate the public to participate in Billion Tree Campaign and save our country from the looming desertification.
Ends.
Word count: 642.
2 comments:
Wow, I've been following environmental crises in other part of Africa, but I had not heard these statistics about Uganda. I was in a grant-proposal class last year and worked with a group that as a similar goal to the Billion Trees Project. They are much smaller, but they are trying plant 5 million trees (www.edenprojects.org/media). That's an intense deficit between trees being planted (or rather not) and the number hectares being harvested in Uganda... it will surely catch up in terrible ways in the future... I applaud you for addressing the issue so thoroughly. I'm going to forward the article to my former co-workers at the Eden Reforestation Projects and post a link on my blog.
Thanks for your appreciation, Danica. Did your former co-workers at the Eden Reforestation Project like the article too?
Nice time, and please let's join hands and save our mighty environment.
Ten.
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