In commemoration of World Wetlands Day, Greenwatch hosted an insightful discussion featuring experts from the Ministry of Water and Environment and legal professionals specializing in environmental conservation. The discussion explored the critical role of wetlands in biodiversity conservation, climate regulation, and water resource management.
Key Highlights:
✅ Current State of Uganda’s Wetlands – Wetlands cover has declined from 13% in 1994 to just 8% today, mainly due to encroachment, pollution, and unregulated industrial activities.
✅ Legal Framework & Enforcement – Uganda has robust environmental laws, including the National Environment Act 2019, but enforcement remains a challenge due to political interference, corruption, and weak institutional capacity.
✅ Sustainable Wetland Utilization – Legal permits regulate certain activities such as ecotourism and fish farming, allowing economic benefits while ensuring conservation.
✅ Community Engagement & Advocacy – Experts emphasized the need for public awareness and community participation in protecting wetlands, as well as the role of litigation in holding violators accountable.
The discussion also highlighted the importance of strengthening law enforcement, increasing environmental police presence, and promoting sustainable land-use practices. Greenwatch remains committed to advocating for wetland conservation through litigation, legal empowerment, and public awareness campaigns.
🎧 Listen to the full discussion to learn more about how we can protect Uganda’s wetlands for future generations!
Greenwatch
We believe that environmental rights can be better exercised when people have access to information, can participate in decisions that affect their surroundings and have access to justice incase their rights are violated. Greenwatch exists to ensure that every individual in Uganda knows that they have environmental rights and these rights can be fully exercised through access to information, justice and public participation.
