Janet Rogan, the United Kingdom’s Ambassador for the Middle East and Africa for COP26, is in Uganda this week for a three-day visit. COP26, the 26th UN Climate Change Conference, will take place in Glasgow between 31 October and 12 November, hosted by the UK in partnership with Italy.
With less than four weeks to go before the start of COP26, Ambassador Rogan’s visit is a chance to see firsthand some of the climate challenges faced by Uganda, and discuss the specific actions Uganda can take to tackle them.
The Ambassador’s visit will include meetings with the Minister of Finance, State Minister of Environment, other senior Government representatives, the Parliamentary Climate Change Committee, and members of civil society. She is also visiting local areas that are under threat from climate change to hear how local communities are adapting, seeing how both Ugandan and UK businesses are putting in place new technology to address climate challenges and, along with the British High Commissioner, Kate Airey OBE, will host a media briefing on COP26.
Ambassador Rogan will visit a UK Export Finance funded project under the Ministry of Water and Environment, which is being implemented by UK Company Nexus Green. They will design and install solar powered irrigation and water supply systems at 687 sites across the country, providing water sources for women and youth, providing jobs, increasing farm productivity and resilience to effects of climate change. She also met innovative local company Bodawerk, who produce zero emission electric boda bodas and agricultural machinery, the latter supported by UKAid funding.
Speaking about the visit, Ambassador Rogan said: “I am delighted to be in Uganda, just weeks ahead of COP26. This visit is a chance to better understand the impacts of the global climate crisis on Uganda, see how both Ugandan and UK businesses are innovating to tackle the climate challenge and to speak with policy makers to encourage Uganda to announce ambitious new climate change commitments ahead of COP26. At COP26, which the UK will host with our Italian partners, we must keep alive the goal of limiting global temperature increases to 1.5°C and protect our planet and people from the worst impacts of climate change. If we don’t act now, we will continue to see the worst effects of climate change such as catastrophic flooding, wildfires, and drought. This is why it is so important for me to come here and talk about this important topic ahead of the summit.”
Kate Airey OBE, British High Commissioner to Uganda added: “I have just returned from a trip to Bududa where I saw first-hand the effects climate change has caused there, with many people now displaced and livelihoods lost from the landslides. The climate conversation is one we must take seriously and we must act now before more devastation occurs.
I look forward to the next few days with Ambassador Rogan and to Uganda’s participation in COP26, working together to tackle the global climate crisis.”
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