Uganda Unveiled its First Energy Transition Plan. Is it just?

ENERGY TRANSITION JUSTICE

Uganda launched its first ambitious Energy Transition Plan at the recent COP28 summit in Dubai, envisaging a blue print to achieve net zero carbon emissions in the energy sector by 2065.

This  new energy plan intends to modernize and diversify Uganda’s energy alternatives efficiently to support industrial growth, provide affordable and secure access to electricity and adopt cleaner cooking by 2030 as it mitigates energy emissions in line with the country’s conditional global climate commitments.

Energy Minister, Ruth Nakabirwa, says that the plan, which is as result of Uganda Alliance with the International Energy Agency (IEA), is meant to propel Uganda to renewable energy capacity to an impressive 52 GigaWatts by 2040.

“This collaboration is crucial to realizing Uganda’s energy goals and propelling us into a new era of sustainability and economic development,’ she said.

“This plan is more than just a commitment, it’s meant to protect our planet and future generations. Our plan is become a renewable energy hub in East Arica”.

After nearly three decades of U.N. climate negotiations, countries agreed for the first time at COP28 summit in Dubai to begin moving the global economy away from fossil fuels, despite heavy push-back from oil states. More than 200 countries called for “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner …so as to achieve net zero by 2050”

Yet Uganda plans to begin commercial oil production by 2025. Its 1,443 East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), which will be the longest in the world, will have the potential to transport 230,000 barrels of crude oil daily from its oilfield in the Albertine Region to the port of Tanga, Tanzania. But climate activists and scientist are worried about the environmental impact of the 1,443 km pipeline which, according to calculations, is expected to produce 35 million tonnes of carbon emissions – the major drive of climate change – per year into the atmosphere. This contradicts the outcome of the COP28– which is ‘transitioning away’ from fossil fuel.

The big question now remains: how does Uganda intend to transition to cleaner energy, in a just manner, despite going forward with the oil activities in the middle of the Murchison falls of national park?

The report titled “Just Transition a climate, energy and development vision for Africa” and co-authored by a collective of independent experts, notes that just transition is not only about switching to cleaner energy but also putting mechanism that are people-centred and free of human right abuses as people go green.

Indeed report of human rights abuses have reported in the Albertine region were oil exploration in taking place. In June this year, 26 Ugandans sued TotalEnergies in Paris for reparations over human rights violations, arguing that the oil giant has caused “serious harm” by depriving them of their free use of land leading to “serious food shortages”.

Already, more than 100,000 people are at risk of being displaced by the EACOP, which has caused food insecurity and ‘multi year delays in compensating people’ whose livelihood depends on land for farming, household debt, and is likely to have devastating environmental effects, a Human Rights Watch report shows.

But the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), says it  2018 Environment Impact assessment on the EACOP, indicated that it was safe to continue oil drilling activities in the Albertine region despite pressure from global activists.

“The assessment was done by a team of expert and the finding were spot on,’ said NEMA’s spokesperson, Tony Achidria.

Angela Nalweyiso, Head of Cost Monitoring at Uganda Petroleum Authority, notes that EACOP is less impact on the environment adding that oil will be drilled using eco-friendly technologies.

“It is not that oil and gas production in Uganda is a climate change disaster. Uganda’s oil projects have been designed to generate technologically lowest carbon foot print and overall, the projects fall within the category of ‘low emission’- which is less than 20 kilograms of carbon equivalent per barre against a global average of 50-70 kilograms,” she said.

She added that oil production will also enable Uganda produce Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) which would help many “energy poor” Uganda whose people rely heavily on wood thus reducing the rate of deforestation in the country.

Uganda recently  banned commercial charcoal production  due to the alarming tree decline yet, currently,  90 percent of Ugandans still rely on biomass as a source of fuel due to its easy accessible.

But as critics wait to see how the new transition plan plays out, some like, Dickens Kemigisha, Executive Director of African Institute for Energy Governance (AFIEGO), state that priority should be developing hydropower as “the greenest alternative” to avoid drilling oil since burning of fossil fuels only accelerates climate change crisis.

Hydropower already contributes 78% of the Uganda ’s energy production, according to the Electricity Regulatory Authority – which is also exported to neighbouring countries –  yet only 45% of Ugandans are connected to the domestic grid.

France Atube, an agriculturalist from Gulu University, proposes growing the yet underdeveloped market for “green charcoal”, a form of briquette made from agricultural waste, adding this would be cost effective especially for the   low-income earners.

“This cleaner approach would save the trees from being cut down especially in rural communities where many people struggle to afford alternatives or be connected to the electricity grid,” he said.

This story was produced with assistance from MESHA and IDRC Eastern and Southern Africa Office for science journalists reporting on COP28.

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