Kampala, (UG): The Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) has today launched the Alliance for Climate Company Resilience, an initiative that aims to bring together key stakeholders to work together to build climate resilience in Uganda.
The Climate Resilience launch was presided over by the State Minister for Environment, Beatrice Anywar at the Serena Hotel in Kampala, Uganda.
“It is therefore with great pride and determination that we gather here to Launch the Alliance for Climate Resilience – a groundbreaking initiative, that will serve as a platform for mobilizing key stakeholders including public, private, cultural, and religious institutions to address the impacts of climate change,” said Minister Anywar during the launch on Wednesday.
According to Anywar, the main objective of the Alliance for Climate Resilience is to develop a collaborative and sustainable response to climate change challenges with particular emphasis on mitigation and adaptation measures.
“As a key stakeholder, the Ministry of Water and Environment has been part of this journey and endorses the formation of the Alliance for Climate Resilience,” she said.
Speaking to the participants at the launch, Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa, a shareholder with the Alliance for Climate Resilience highlighted the importance of a balance between environment conservation and development via exploitation of resources. “Ongoing projects, for example, oil and gas, can co-exist with activities to protect the environment,” she said.
Ms Zulaika Kasaija, a Board member of the Alliance for Climate Company Resilience who represented the Board Chairman, Emmanuel Katongole, said that the Alliance for Climate Resilience will provide a viable and long-lasting solution for mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change.
“The project is expected to support Uganda’s Oil and gas industry in reducing carbon emissions by more than one million tonnes of Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq) per annum, thus reducing air pollution and minimizing Uganda’s global carbon footprint.”
“Further, the transition from biomass burning to LPG produced by the oil and gas industry will reduce harm to health caused by indoor air pollution,” she added.
Eng. Michael Mugerwa, the General Manager of Uganda Refinery Holding Company said that the Alliance for Climate Resilience is in accordance with UNOC’s ESG Strategy.
“The Key in the Alliance for Climate Resilience is the planting of 40 million trees, which will facilitate the drawdown of 1,000,000 metric tons of greenhouse emissions,” he noted.
The Alliance for Climate Resilience is a response to the climate change crisis, which is borderless and will require sustained effort, national solidarity, and ambitious commitments.
UNOC and its JV Partners are therefore committed to operating its businesses in an environmentally and socially responsible and sustainable manner, in the workplace and project host communities.
Accordingly, UNOC has developed an ESG Strategy with six priority areas, under which various initiatives will be implemented. The Alliance for Climate Resilience is one of the initiatives under the Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation priority area.
The Alliance is intended to bring together key stakeholders to collaboratively develop and implement a sustainable response to climate change issues while placing particular emphasis on mitigation and adaptation to climate change impacts.
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