Rich countries need to do more in climate change fight. 

By Christopher Bendana

Kampala

Rich countries whose wealth is linked to greenhouse emissions have more obligation in climate change actions.

“Some countries need to do more than others. Fossil fuels have made us wealthy,” said Dan Jorgensen, the Danish Minister for Development Cooperation & Global Climate Policy at a climate change debate at Makerere University last week.

In his keynote presentation during the Debate, Climate Change’s Decarbonisation, Dilemmas, Charcoal, and Conflict Jorgensen re-emphasized the need to transit from fuels fossils as per the declaration at COP 28 in Dubai last year.

“Climate change is already here. If we don’t do something dramatically it will become worse,” he warned.

Scientists agree that climate change is caused by the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The main greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide, a fossil fuel waste product. Much of these have been emitted by Europe and the United States in the past though China is the top emitter now. Africa’s total emission at a minimal 4 percen.

Sylvie Namwase, a lecturer in the School of Law at Makerere University, a panelist called for increased funding in climate change research so that climate change policies and laws are based on evidence.

Mary Susan Abo, Director of the Centre for Research on Energy and Energy Conservation, a conservation think-tank at Makerere University, called for a just transition that puts people’s lives at the center.

Brian Isabirye, Commissioner for renewable energy at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development said the country was looking at achieving net zero in 2050.

The Danish Minister revealed the launch of a US$ 95 million (UGX 280b) bilateral development program that will run from 2023-28. It will crisscross the areas of climate change, and human rights to refugees. Denmark has been one of Uganda’s biggest donors over the years.