"EMBRACE CLIMATE CHANGE AWARENESS DRIVES TO IMPACT SOCIETY;"PERMANENT SECRETARY MINISTRY OF WATER TELLS YOUNG PEOPLE

By Our Reporter

The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Water and Environment Okot Okidi has called on youth across Uganda to embrace climate change awareness and advocacy drives to mitigate current impacts of climate change in their communities. 

"Young people you have the energy and potential to participate in debates and decisions that influence policies to shape the future. Engage in meaningful conversations and innovate to address climate change mitigation,"he said while presiding over this years edition of Miss Climate Change Awareness Uganda Pageant in Kampala. 

Bismarck Ampaire Executive Director of Africa Tourism and Environment Initiatives called for stronger collaboration with government and support to climate change mitigation awareness across the country and university spaces where students can participate in debates and policy decision making.

Miss Climate Change Awareness Uganda is a purpose-driven environmental advocacy pageant and a concept initiative of Africa Tourism and Environment Initiatives (ATEI) in partnership with the Ministry of Water and Environment held to entice youth participate in water and environmental conservation programs aimed to promote good environmental practices.

Held under the theme Climate action for water and environment for an inclusive and Prosperous Uganda Water and Environment Week (UWEWK), empowers young women from Uganda’s grassroots regions—Albertine, Central, South-Western, Northern, and Eastern—to champion water and environmental conservation, promote climate action, and inspire sustainable practices in their communities.

According to Permanent Secretary in Uganda climate change has been manifested in rising temperatures, more erratic rainfall, and extreme weather events such as floods and drought. Rainfall has become less predictable, with erratic arrivals and endings of rainfall seasons in recent years.

"The individual rainfalls have notably been heavier and more violent; floods and landslides are increasing in intensity, as experienced in most parts of the country in the past year. Additionally, droughts are also on the rise in Uganda, with the western, northern and north-eastern regions experiencing more frequent, severe and longer-lasting droughts than have been seen historically;"he stated. 

To migitate this Uganda needs an estimated USD 28.1 billion by 2030 to implement its National Determined Contributions (NDCs) to climate change mitigation and adaptation. This covers key sectors like agriculture, water, and infrastructure, requiring roughly $3.9 billion per year, primarily from international sources. 

According to the World Bank, climate change could force about 216 million people to migrate within their own countries by 2050.

The pageant competion tgat attracted 15 girls in the grabd finale Kirabo patience 21 year old student from Makerere University won the Miss Climate Change Awareness Uganda Pageant. 

Akiri Martha from Kyambogo University scooped first runner prize and Mirembe Winnie from Mbuya Community Development Network took second runner prize meanwhile Asiimwe Mary took Peta Tree special Ambassador crown 

This years edition.attracted 15 girls in the grand finale and several girls took home region crowns.