This is the first edition of the Communication Education Participation and Awareness (CEPA) Strategy for the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) for the period 2019 – 2024.  For many years, Ugandans have taken water and environment resources for granted, expecting these resources to always be available. The continuous striving for a better life and increasing population growth have put unprecedented  pressure on water and environment resources.

Several local and global studies on climate change confirm that it affects and will continue to affect Ugandans’ lives and the country’s economy with adverse consequences over time on different sectors such as agriculture, health, and infrastructure among others. According to the Economic Assessment of the Impacts of Climate Change in Uganda (2016), climate-induced yield losses for coffee could range from 50-75 percent by 2050 and progressively lower in the intervening years.

Following the creation and approval of the National Climate Change Policy and its Implementation Strategy on April 1, 2015, the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) with support from development partners established the Standard National Climate Change Indicators.

As part of continuing efforts to enhance sustainable development and improve community knowledge, attitudes and practices towards climate change, the Government of Uganda identified the need for more effective dissemination of climate change adaptation and mitigation information across the country. In partnership with USAID and its Feed the Future Uganda Enabling Environment for Agriculture Activity, the Ministry of Water and Environment, Climate Change Department has developed the Uganda National Climate Change Communication Strategy (UNCCCS) 2017-2021.

Several local and global studies on climate change confirm that it affects and will continue to affect Ugandans’ lives and the country’s economy with adverse consequences over time on different sectors such as agriculture, health, and infrastructure among others. According to the Economic Assessment of the Impacts of Climate Change in Uganda (2016), climate-induced yield losses for coffee could range from 50-75 percent by 2050 and progressively lower in the intervening years.

Currently, the Environmental and Social issues are being addressed basing on the National Environment Management Policy and other guiding documents including the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) guidelines and other Tools developed by National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) while some projects have been using the World Bank Environment and Social Safeguards Policies and other donor -specific ES policies. These are normally actualized through development of Environment and Social Management Frameworks (ESMF) for specific projects and programmes.

The Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) was established following the Cabinet decision in 2007. The Ministry is a lead institution in the Water and Environment Sector. It is responsible for overall coordination, policy formulation, setting standards, inspection, monitoring, technical back-up and initiating legislation. It also monitors and evaluates sector development programmes to keep track of their performance, efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery.  
 

This Client Service Charter is a social contract between the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE), as a service provider and its clients/service users.  It specifies standards for the delivery, which MWE believes its clients/service users have a right to expect, and sets out feedback and complaint handling mechanisms.

Environment Impact Assessment Regulation

An Act to provide for sustainable management of the environment; to establish an authority as a coordinating, monitoring and supervisory body for that purpose; and for other matters incidental to or connected with the foregoing.