Speaker of Parliament Jacob Marksons Oboth has pledged parliamentary support for climate change legislation, funding and oversight, as Uganda seeks partners to provide 500 water tanks to schools struggling with water shortages.
Oboth said floods, landslides, rising temperatures and prolonged droughts were threatening livelihoods, infrastructure and economic development, warning that Uganda must protect its natural resources while pursuing industrialisation and economic transformation.
He made the remarks during the third edition of the CEOs’ Breakfast Meeting and dialogue on the green economy in Kampala, where stakeholders discussed Uganda’s transition to a green economy through digital transformation.
Oboth pledged that Parliament would support measures to address climate change, protect the environment and promote sustainable development, while urging government agencies, conservation organisations and individuals to translate commitments into practical interventions.
“Accelerating Uganda’s green economy transition through digital transformation is not a luxury, but both an economic necessity and a strategic investment in our nation’s sustainable future,” he said.
The Speaker called for increased investment in renewable energy, protection of forests and wetlands, restoration of degraded land and the use of digital technologies to strengthen environmental monitoring and natural resource management.
He warned that climate-related disasters could undermine development gains if the country failed to strengthen its response to environmental degradation and changing weather patterns.
Oboth also criticised the tendency to hold meetings and discuss environmental challenges without implementing agreed interventions.
“This should not stop at conversations in boardrooms like here and meetings where we sit for hours, exchanging and consuming statistics. It should translate into actionable resolutions,” he said.
He urged leaders to balance economic ambitions with the restoration and protection of ecosystems, arguing that environmental conservation should be treated as part of the country’s development strategy rather than a separate concern.
“We can never win a fight against Mother Nature,” he said, calling on Ugandans to take individual responsibility for protecting the environment through measures such as tree planting and conservation.
The call for practical action was echoed by Edwin Muhumuza, chief executive officer of Youth Go Green and coordinator of the CEOs’ Breakfast Meeting, who announced plans to mobilise support for 500 water tanks for water-stressed schools across the country.
Muhumuza said the tanks would be distributed through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Run scheduled for November 8, with organisers seeking support from businesses, development partners and other stakeholders.
“Some of our schools have no access to clean water, actually access to zero water at all,” Muhumuza said, appealing to potential partners to support the initiative.
The run will focus on Sustainable Development Goal Six, which seeks to ensure access to clean water and sanitation for all.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) was named among the key partners expected to support the November 8 event.
Muhumuza said improving access to water in schools was part of the wider challenge of building sustainable communities and protecting livelihoods against environmental pressures.
He also urged Parliament to strengthen collaboration with government institutions, the private sector and development partners to address climate change and environmental degradation.
“Uganda is really bleeding,” he said, pointing to deforestation, pressure on natural resources and unsustainable production systems as threats to livelihoods and the country’s economic ambitions.
Muhumuza argued that the transition to a green economy should be treated as an economic priority because of its implications for industrialisation, job creation and livelihoods.
The two calls placed emphasis on moving beyond policy commitments and environmental discussions to practical interventions, including stronger climate oversight, ecosystem protection and efforts to improve access to clean water in schools.