Govt, non-state institutions trained on greenhouse gas inventory

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Despite having guidelines and procedures in place, Uganda still faces significant challenges in managing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

These challenges, according to climate change experts, stem from weak coordination frameworks and institutional arrangements, inadequate institutional and technical capacity to collect and manage GHG data and difficulties in accessing reliable data.

Since the government and non-state institutions involved in GHG emissions have low capacity and insufficient coordination to manage Uganda’s GHG system effectively, the Government, through the Ministry of Water and Environment, has started training a total of 140 government and non-state institutions on GHG inventories.
The training will equip technical experts with skills to build a world-class inventory that invites green investment into Uganda.

Under the Paris Agreement, the permanent secretary at the water ministry, Dr Alfred Okidi, disclosed that every nation must track its climate progress.

“For Uganda, this means moving beyond estimates to high-quality, verifiable data. We are now transitioning to the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF). This requires us to report our emissions with more detail and accuracy than ever before,” explained Okidi.

Stakeholders pose for a photo during the launch of the Training of trainees for the Greenhouse Gas inventory at Silver Springs Hotel in Bugolobi on April 23, 2026. (Photo by Juliet Kasirye)

Because the stakes are high, Okidi said, Uganda has committed to reducing our national emissions by nearly 25% by 2030.

“We cannot manage what we do not measure. By identifying exactly where our emissions come from, we can create policies that actually work. Data is the currency of Climate Finance, to access global funds and succeed in the emerging carbon markets, our numbers must be beyond reproach,” revealed Okidi.

He made the remarks during the launch of the Training of trainees for the Greenhouse Gas inventory coordination and management under the Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT II) project held at Silver Springs Hotel in Bugolobi on Thursday.

The $1.5m project aims at strengthening the capacity of institutions in Uganda to comply with the Transparency Requirements of the Paris Agreement.

The project is implemented by the Water Ministry through the Climate Change Department (CCD), in partnership with Africa Innovations Institute (AfrII).

CBIT was designed to help developing countries build the systems needed to track and report climate actions accurately.

“I commend the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Conservation International for their support of the CBIT II project. Your collaboration ensures Uganda remains a leader in climate transparency,” appreciated Okidi.

Okidi’s remarks were contained in his speech delivered by the Acting Executive Director of National Forestry Authority, Stuart Maniraguha.

Representing the Acting Commissioner of the Climate Change Department at the Water Ministry, Bob Natifu, the assistant commissioner in charge of Climate Change, Francis Opolot, said, Climate change remains one of the most pressing challenges of our time.

The impacts of climate change, according to Opolot, ranging from prolonged droughts and floods to landslides and shifting weather patterns, continue to affect livelihoods, ecosystems, and national development.

Stuart Maniraguha, NFA Acting Executive Director addresses stakeholders during the launch of the Training of trainees for the Greenhouse Gas inventory coordination and management under the Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT II) project at Silver Springs Hotel in Bugolobi on April 23, 2026. (Photo by Juliet Kasirye)

To address climate change, Opolot said Uganda needs to have the ability to measure, report, and verify greenhouse gas emissions accurately.

“A robust national greenhouse gas inventory system is therefore essential for informed decision-making, effective policy implementation, and tracking progress towards our national and international commitments,” explained Opolot.

Opolot said: “the training will develop a pool of skilled national experts who will support data collection, analysis, and reporting across key greenhouse gas-emitting sectors, while ensuring consistency, quality, and sustainability of Uganda’s national greenhouse gas inventory processes.”

Addressing trainees, the Chief Executive Officer of Africa Innovations Institute (AfrII), Professor George William Otim-Nape, disclosed that the integrity of Uganda’s national inventory depends on the granular, sector‑specific data that only their institutions can provide.

Otim-Nape said data exchange has been impeded by misalignment, industry unsure of government’s exact requirements, and government receiving information ill-suited for international reporting standards.

“CBIT II, supported by the Global Environment Facility and Conservation International, dismantles that barrier. By training state and non‑state actors as a single cohort, utilising unified Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) methodologies and standardised protocols, we are not merely teaching skills, we are engineering a national quality assurance ecosystem.” Otim-Nape stated.

To further enhance transparency reporting, the technical lead of the CBIT II project, Dr Felly Tusiime said, water ministry together with AfrII have created a laboratory for GHG management.

The state‑of‑the‑art equipment, according to Tusiime has a gas chromatography, which will enable experts to prepare high‑quality data, establish emission factors and support the government’s aspiration.