NEMA Uganda (yesterday) Friday launched an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Online System that is able to enhance the review of EIA reports and for some projects. It will be possible to get the certificate printed in only 2 days.
While launching the system, the Executive Director, NEMA, Dr. Tom Okurut tasked the staff at the institution to embrace the system and expedite project review processes to enhance sustainable development.
Previously, obtaining a certificate would take at least 21 days depending on projects.
The launching of this project a milestone and the institution is linking well into National Development Plans especially with the world moving completely to digital era.
National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) yesterday Saturday 3rd June 2017 teamed up with Uganda Little Hands Go Green, District Woman MP for Ibanda Hon. Jovrine Kaliisa and Ibanda Lord Mayor to clean up Ibanda Town ahead of World Environment Day Celebrations slated for Monday 5th June 2017.
The main celebrations will take place in Ibanda and the clean is part of the preparations for the big do.
As part of the celebrations, NEMA together with Uganda’s Little Hands Go Green organized Ibanda Run which held today morning in Ibanda town.
The run was aimed at creating awareness on how to protect and preserve the environment.
Ibanda District Woman MP Hon Jovrine Kaliisa Kyomukama as part of Monday celebrations, she visited her former school St. Hellen Primary School where she planted trees with Uganda’s Little Hands Go Green.
She urged pupils to plant trees as a way of protecting environment.
Yesterday June 1st 2017, The state Minister for Environment Hon Kitutu Kimono, the ED NEMA Dr Tom Okurut, the Woman MP for Ibanda Hon. Jovin Kaliisa and the CEO Little Hands Go Green Joseph Masembe flagged off the World Environment Day Celebration Caravan at the NEMA Offices in Kampala.
The team that set off will be planting trees along the route to Ibanda as part of the drive to bring to life this year’s World Environment Day theme of “Connect With Nature”.
The team has so far planted trees in Mpigi, and Buwama as well as Nkozi and other areas as they head to Ibanda for the main celebration on Monday.
Mpigi UMEA primary school, St Kizito Mpigi primary school are some of the schools that have joined this noble cause so far.
There will be a series of activities ahead of WED 2017 where the president will be the chief guest. Tree planting activities in Mbarara, Masaka and Ibanda. An Environmental Run in Ibanda on Sunday among others.
Geocycle has today been launched in Uganda with the aim of providing a solution to waste management that leaves no residue. Under the Geocycle brand, the LafargeHolcim Group offers waste management services in over 50 countries around the world.
“Our promise is to offer a superior solution to disposing off waste in landfills. Geocycle will collect, segregate and incinerate waste in cement kilns of Hima Cement Limited, in a partnership that is set to deliver a “zero-waste” future for Uganda,’ said Israel Tinkasimiire, the Geocycle Country Manager, at the launch event at the Kampala Serena Hotel.
Daniel Petterson (L), the Hima Cement Country CEO, Hannington Karuhanga (C) the Chairman Hima Cement share a light moment with Michael Mugisa, the ED of NFA during the Geocycle launch
With the ever increasing urbanization and industrialization, rapid change in lifestyles, Uganda’s waste challenge has grown in leaps and bounds. There are many urban authorities grappling with huge volumes of both organic and inorganic waste that is poorly disposed-off. On average there is about 2,500 tons of waste generated in Uganda on a daily basis with only about 10% of this waste disposed of in a safe manner.
Geocycle aims to provide the entire waste management process from collection, transportation, segregation, auditing, as well as disposal in a process that does not require waste to be disposed-off in landfills.
“Geocycle will collect waste directly from municipalities, industries, oil and agricultural companies, pre-process it in its waste management platforms and co-process (or reuse) in the cement kilns. Currently, Geocycle collects, segregates and incinerates agricultural waste in the Hima cement kilns,” adds Tinkasimiire.
Daniel Petterson (L), the Hima Cement Country CEO, Waiswa Arnold, the Director of Environmental Monitoring and Compliance at NEMA and Florentin de Loppinot Total Uganda MD share a light moment during the Geocycle launch
Geocycle contributes to the Lafargeholcim’s sustainability ambitions (the 2030 Plan) which targets to use 80 million tons per year of resources from waste by 2030. 58% of fuel used in Hima Plant in Kasese is from agricultural waste.
Speaking at the launch, Daniel Pettersson, the Hima Cement Country CEO said: “For almost 10 years now, Hima Cement plant has been using biomass to fuel its cement kilns and dryer. These include coffee husks, rice husks, bagasse, palm kernels and sawdust which acts as a replacement for fossil fuels. Today, over half of the thermal energy for the kiln comes from biomass rather than heavy furnace oil which means a reduction in CO2 emissions by 70,000 tons annually.”
“We believe in a future without waste; our dedicated experts work persistently toward this goal. We take the extra step to solve waste challenges for our customers and society as a whole. State-of-the-art technology, tailored processes and in-depth expertise enable us to provide sustainable, safe and reliable answers to society’s waste challenges,” he explained.
The launch of this initiative will further enable Hima Cement improve its energy efficiency by re-purposing other forms of waste and also contribute further to Hima Cement’s objective to reduce its carbon footprint
Olivier Doyen, the Head of Geocycle in Sub-Saharan Africa disclosed that currently, Geocycle has 85 waste treatment platforms and provides fuel for 180 cement kilns.
“When you dump your waste, you do not know what happens to it after you dispose it off. It can actually turn out to be an environmental hazard. Geocycle means we do not produce any residue at the end of the process and do not release any gases into the atmosphere.”
Geocycle Uganda is already engaging with Fort Portal Municipality which produces approximately 100 tons of waste per day and is in close proximity to the Hima plant in Kasese.
“Our strategy shall involve partnering with the urban authorities so that we manage the waste on their behalf. From there we shall spread to other parts of the country including Kampala, where the waste generated per day is in the region of 800 tons,” disclosed Tinkasimiire.
Waiswa Arnold, the Director of Environmental Monitoring and Compliance at the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) lauded the launch of Geocycle saying the solution will help many municipalities whose waste management processes remain an unfunded priority.
“Many local authorities do not have enough capacity to collect and dispose off waste. Waste is certainly is a big challenge. When uncollected, especially urban centers leads to flooding, contamination of water sources thus leading to diseases. NEMA welcomes the Geocycle initiative which aims to have zero-waste future.”
Globally, Geocycle preserves land equivalent to the size of 85 football fields annually, processes 14 million tons of waste materials worldwide leaving no residues and prevents greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to that produced by 250,000 cars. It also saves energy equivalent to that of heating 180,000 households by processing waste from municipal sources.
On the sidelines of the COP21 Climate Change conference in December 2015, the Executive Director, United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Mr Achim Steiner announced that the 2016 World Environment Day (WED) Celebrations would focus on the illegal trade in wildlife. On the same platform, Angola, where poaching is threatening an already reduced elephant population, was announced as global celebrations host.
WED – the single biggest day for positive action on the environment worldwide, which takes place on June 5 each year was declared by the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment Stockholm in 1972. On that day, each Member State is obligated to reflect on efforts and commitment to sustainable environment management.
WED has since become the United Nations’ principal vehicle for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the environment. Over the years it has grown to be a broad, global platform for public outreach that is widely celebrated by stakeholders all over the world.
Wed 2016 Celebrations
As later established by UNEP, “Go Wild for Life” was chosen as the WED 2016 slogan. The slogan calls on everyone to join the fight against the illegal trade in wildlife which erodes precious biodiversity and threatens the survival of elephants, rhinos and tigers as well as many other species.
Latest figures from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, indicate that the African elephant population had dropped from 550,000 in 2006 to 470,000 in 2013, with East Africa seeing the worst decline, from 150,000 to about 100,000, triggering fears that African elephants could be extinct in the wild within a few decades.
Ugandan Celebrations
At national level, World Environment Day (WED) will be jointly celebrated with the International Day for Biological Diversity (IBD), also known as World Biodiversity Day (WBD) that falls on every 22nd May.
The International Day for Biological Diversity (IBD/WBD) 2016 theme is “Mainstreaming Biodiversity; Sustaining People and their Livelihoods”. Consequently, the two themes have been merged to come up with the National theme: “Conserve Wildlife, Sustain Livelihoods”.
The national theme raises awareness on all species under threat and calls for individual and cooperate action to help safeguard them for future generations. This can also be about animals or plants that are threatened within our local communities as well as at the national – as many local extinctions will eventually add up to a global extinction.
Biodiversity is the foundation for life and for the essential services provided by ecosystems. It therefore underpins peoples’ livelihoods and sustainable development in all areas of activity, including economic sectors such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism, among others. By halting biodiversity loss, we are investing in people, their lives and their well-being.
Gulu the 2016 Host
The national celebrations will be hosted by Gulu District on Monday 6th June, at the Boma Grounds. Gulu is one of the districts in the Acholi sub-region whose cultural symbol is the elephant. The Acholi region is also home to a big expanse of the Murchison Bay National Park which hosts an estimated 1,330 elephants and was once home to a big Rhino population that became extinct due to indiscriminate poaching during the civil war of the1980’s.
Every Action Counts
While everyone seems to be decrying the general environmental outlook, it is important to note that human activity has almost solely contributed to this degenerating position. Our individual action, galvanised can change this trend. The need to keep our environment clean has never been greater. Whoever, wherever, whatever the individual action, bolstered, we can create a meaningful change. From volunteering to share information, supporting initiatives to save endangered species, to changing lifestyle options, joining the campaign to abandon the use of polythene carrier bags (Kaveera); Every Action Counts!
The Writer is the Senior Information Education and Communications Officer, NEMA
NEMA Executive Director, Dr. Tom Okurut has warned all those that encroached on Lubigi Wetland to leave with immediate effect.
Addressing a press conference at NEMA Offices in Kampala, Dr. Okurut condemned the rate at which the wetland was occupied and degraded, citing that over 200 acres of the wetland was destroyed to pave way for subsistence agriculture.
NEMA ED Tom Okurut addressing media yesterday
“During this election season, a group of people unknown to even the locals invaded the wetland, set it on fire and having been changing the wetland into small scale farming and establishing settlements,” said Dr. Okurut. “This is illegal according to the law and all enchroachers must leave with immediate effect or they will be prosecuted in courts of law,” Dr. Okurut added.
The Lubigi – Mayanja wetland as locally known is a very important water catchment area, serving the city of Kampala and the surrounding areas of Wakiso District.
Rain water from the northern and western suburbs of the city drains, via underground aquifers and surface run-off, into the swamp, where it supports unique wildlife, including over 200 species of birds, one of which is the crested crane, the national bird. The predominant flora is papyrus grass.
The The National Environment (Wetlands, River Banks And Lake Shores Management) Regulations, 2000 institutes the protection of wetlands and stipulates that “special measures are essential for the protection of wetlands of international, national and local importance as ecological systems and habitat for fauna and flora species, and for cultural and aesthetic purposes, as well as for their hydrological functions.”
National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) Executive Director Dr. Tom Okurut has said polyethylene carrier bags are a nuisance to the country and the authority will not compromise about the law banning them. The Kaveera must go, he added today while a press conference in Kampala.
As you are aware, on 15th April 2015, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) resumed implementation of the ban of plastic carrier bags in line with the (Finance Act, 2009 and the enabling regulations of 2010).
NEMA boss Okurut addressing press at their offices today
Progress of implementation
This Authority wishes to thank the public for the overwhelming support for the ban of kaveera from our country. Specifically, I wish to thank the supermarkets and other outlets who have gone out of their way to seek for alternatives other than the use of plastic bags and this makes a milestone in addressing the problem of kaveera in the country.
The Authority has also gone ahead to impound more than 15000kgs of Kaveera from retailers, Distributors and manufacturers which we are going to destroy in the coming days.
Our approach of public awareness and public education through the mass media and community groups, together with enforcement has led to the public appreciating the need for the ban of plastic carrier bags as they are a danger to public health, the environment, animal husbandry, blockading drainage systems and all these have an impact on our economy.
On 9th February, the matter was heard and Yesterday February 25th 2016 a ruling was delivered by His Worship Ajiji Alex Mackay, Deputy Registrar, High Court, Civil Division. In his ruling, His Worship Ajiji observed and appreciated that; NEMA was an enforcement Agency and was mandated by the Finance Act 2009 to enforce the law on plastics.
The manufacturers can only produce permitted plastics as stipulated by law. His Worship stated that much as arbitrary closure was a threat, for the applicants to ask court to issue an interim injunction to restrain NEMA an enforcement agency from entering the factories to enforce the law was asking the courts too much as it is not possible to close out NEMA from its mandate of ensuring compliance. He ordered that in the interim, NEMA should enforce the law as is and not carryout closure of factories outside the existing law.
This affirms that the law remains in force and NEMA as mandated will continue to continue with the enforcement on the ban on the manufacture, distribution, sale and use of plastic carrier bags as stipulated in the Finance Act, 2009 and The Finance (Permitted Plastic Bags and other plastics for Exceptional Use), Regulations, 2010.
Clarification
NEMA does not carry out “Arbitrary” closures any facility. As guided by the law, NEMA has notified all stakeholder through all formats including the mass media and written notices about the implementation of the ban.
NEMA, as guided by the law is enforcing the ban on only Plastic carrier bags and not on those manufacturing what is exempted by the law.
NEMA also encourages the public to continue embracing alternatives and calls upon the wholesalers, retailers and manufacturers to abide by the law and stop manufacture, sale, distribution and use of the banned products. If in doubt, they should consult to avoid inconveniences.
Court has today cleared National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to stop the manufacture of plastic carrier bags.
On 27th January, 2016, Uganda Plastics Manufacturers and Recyclers Association Ltd filed a suit against the enforcement activities by NEMA in relation to the banned plastics commonly known as ‘Kaveera’.
NEMA has won Kaveera manufacture ban case
The Manufacturers and Recyclers seek the following from court;
I) a declaration from Court that NEMA’s entry and closure of factories engaged in manufacture of the same is arbitrary and illegal,
ii) A permanent injunction restraining NEMA and or its agents from closing and impounding the plastic products
iii) Punitive and general damages for inconvenience and loss of business.
On 29th January, 2016, the Manufacturers obtained an Interim Injunction against NEMA restraining NEMA from arbitrarily closing the manufacturers’ factories until an application for the interim injunction which was scheduled for 9th February, 2016 at 3:30pm was heard.
On 9th February, the matter was heard and a ruling was delivered today (February 25th 2016 at 12:00pm) by His Worship Ajiji Alex Mackay, Deputy Registrar, High Court, Civil Division.
In his ruling, His Worship Ajiji observed and appreciated that ; NEMA was an enforcement Agency and was mandated by the Finance Act 2009 to enforce the law on plastics.
The manufacturers can only produce permitted plastics as stipulated by law. Thus the only enabling law is the finance Act and regulations there under which should be further refined by NEMA.
His Worship stated that much as arbitrary closure was a threat, for the applicants to ask court to issue an interim injunction to restrain NEMA an enforcement agency from entering the factories to enforce the law was asking the courts too much at that stage.
He ordered that in the interim, NEMA should enforce the law as is and not carryout closure of factories outside the existing law.
What is the Implication of this?
The law remains in force and NEMA is mandated to continue with enforcement. For the manufacturers and recyclers, it is clear that they should abide by the law and stop manufacture and distribution of banned products. If in doubt, they should consult to avoid inconveniences.
