Uganda’s Environmental Journey: Key Insights From The 2024 National State Of The Environment Report

September 19, 2025
The Ugandan Kob

The Ugandan kob (Kobus kob thomasi), a symbol of the country’s rich biodiversity, grazing in its natural habitat.

The National State of the Environment Report 2024 (NSoER), developed by the Government of Uganda through the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), provides a comprehensive assessment of the country’s environmental health and policy direction. 

The report underscores how Uganda’s environmental agenda is aligned with global frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Vision 2040, the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), and the National Development Plan IV. Central to this agenda are the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE), NEMA, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), and the National Forestry Authority (NFA), working closely with UNDP and other partners.

UNDP’s Contribution to Uganda’s Environmental Transformation 

The NSoER 2024 highlights UNDP’s active role in advancing climate adaptation, mitigation, and sustainable development in Uganda, by partnering with the government and communities to deliver impact through: 

  • Climate-smart agriculture to improve food security and cut greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Early warning systems and community-based resilience programmes that reduce vulnerability to extreme weather.
  • Clean energy transition, moving Uganda away from biomass toward solar, hydro, and geothermal energy, supported by policy development, capacity building, and technology transfer.
  • Urban sustainability, addressing air pollution, waste management, and the need for robust environmental data systems, digital innovation, and inclusive governance. 

These initiatives reinforce Uganda’s commitment to the SDGs, emphasizing integrated, inclusive, and innovative solutions that unlock funding, strengthen accountability, empower communities, and accelerate the country’s transition to a green economy. 

Participants at the partnership workshop for the implementation roadmap of the Global Biodiversity Framework.

Spotlight Project: BIOFIN – Financing Nature for People and Planet 

UNDP recognizes that financing is key to sustainable environmental management. Through the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), a global UNDP programme in 103 countries, Uganda is identifying innovative ways to close financing gaps in biodiversity conservation. With its extraordinary biodiversity of over 18,000 species, Uganda is leveraging BIOFIN to: 

  • Develop financial strategies and instruments for conservation.
  • Align financial planning with environmental priorities.
  • Unlock new funding, improve spending efficiency, and create incentives for communities, private sector, and public institutions to invest in nature. 

This initiative strengthens both Uganda’s environmental resilience and its economy by ensuring nature is valued and financed as an essential asset. 

Pasture with a wooden fence, rolling green hills, and a bright blue sky.

Fish ponds created as an alternative source of livelihood for wetland farming

Key Environmental Pressures 
The report identifies four urgent drivers of environmental degradation: 

  1. Population Growth and Urbanization: Uganda’s population is projected to reach 75 million by 2040, up from 45 million in 2024, with urban expansion at 5.2% annually. This places heavy pressure on forests, infrastructure, and services.
  2. Climate Change and Extreme Weather: Temperatures have risen by 1.3°C over the past 50 years, with 2023 the warmest year since 1950. Droughts, floods, and erratic rainfall continue to disrupt agriculture and livelihoods.
  3. Air and Water Quality Decline: In Kampala, PM2.5 pollution regularly exceeds 50 µg/m³, far above WHO guidelines. Only 68% of Ugandans access safe drinking water, with rural communities most affected.
  4. Land Degradation: Over 40% of Uganda’s land is degraded, mainly due to soil erosion (46%), poor farming practices, and overgrazing, undermining agricultural productivity. 

A thriving cabbage garden cultivated by former wetland users

Turning Challenges into Opportunities 

The NSOER 2024 also highlights progress, driven by government leadership and strong partnerships with UNDP and development partners: 

  • Forest Restoration: Uganda aims to expand forest cover from 12% in 2021 to 21% by 2030, with support from the GCF, GEF, and bilateral donors (Austria, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, UK, Japan, Korea, EU).
  • Biodiversity Conservation: Protecting over 18,000 species, including endangered mountain gorillas, through community-led initiatives and sustainable livelihoods.
  • Wetland Protection: Restoring wetlands (13% of land area) to enhance climate resilience.
  • Climate-Smart Agriculture: Scaling up sustainable farming practices to secure food systems.
  • Waste Management: Expanding recycling and waste-to-value projects in cities.
  • Renewable Energy Transition: Accelerating hydropower, solar, and geothermal to cut biomass reliance. 

UNDP’s Commitment 

The NSOER 2024 emphasizes that Uganda’s environmental future will depend on stronger policies and regulatory enforcement, accelerated adoption of green technologies, inclusive community engagement, and enhanced institutional capacity. UNDP remains committed to working with the Government of Uganda to advance these priorities by protecting ecosystems, fostering inclusive economic growth, and building climate resilience, ensuring that people and nature thrive together. 

Please read the full report here: https://www.undp.org/uganda/publications/national-state-environment-report-2024