Project Overview
As a Least Developed Country (LDC), Uganda faces challenges such as poverty and infrastructure gaps, but it has made significant progress in education, health, and economic reforms. Despite its negligible contribution to global emissions (0.099 percent), Uganda is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Ranked 13th in vulnerability and 160th in readiness, the country faces increasingly frequent and severe weather events such as floods, droughts, and erratic rainfall. These extreme events are causing landslides, water shortages, and crop failures and other impacts, which threaten Uganda’s socio-economic progress.
Following a request by the state minister for Environment in 2018, Uganda officially joined the Least Developed Countries initiative on Effective Adaptation and Resilience (LIFE-AR) initiative in November 2020. A task force was established to draft a concept note on how LIFE AR would be implemented in Uganda. The concept note recommended the Devolved Climate Finance (DCF) mechanism as the preferred approach to deliver climate finance for local adaptation and resilience building. This mechanism aligns with Uganda’s devolved governance system, integrates climate change into local planning, and supports the country’s National
Climate Change Policy, Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and National Development Plan. The initiative aims to build Uganda’s climate resilience by supporting community-driven climate action, with at least 70% of funding directed toward local priorities.
LIFE AR in Uganda will strengthen in-country capabilities, systems and institutions for climate action, ensuring that there’s sustained funding for climate action and that at least 70% of this funding supports community priorities. The LIFE-AR program in Uganda has made significant strides, achieving key milestones in its Test & Evolve phase. Following the establishment phase, the program is being piloted in 12 districts across the countries with four districts of Kalungu, Kibaale, Pader Kaabong into the investment phase.
Moving forward
- District-Wide Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessments (CRVAs) completed in all districts
- District and sub-county technical awareness meetings conducted
- PCCC election and training process completed
- Proposal development and investment selection for the first four districts completed
- Investment implementation in progress for the first four districts.
Date joined: November 2020
Current phase: Test & Evolve
Number of districts/sub-districts selected: 12 Pilot Districts
Name of organisation responsible: Ministry of Water and Environment
Name and function of focal point:
Scovia Akot (National Focal Point) - Coordination of the Programme;
Harriet Kyomuhendo (Alternate Focal Point)
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