environment 7 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Religious Leaders Urged to Lead Uganda's Fight Against Deforestation
Uganda's forest cover has plummeted from 24% in 1990 to 12.7% in 2025 due to heavy reliance on wood and charcoal for cooking, prompting calls for clerics to spearhead conservation efforts using their community influence. Initiatives like the Church of Uganda's plan to plant 7.5 million trees highlight the potential impact of religious involvement. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/oped/editorial/clerics-should-spearhead-environment-campaign-5415356
Religious leaders in Uganda, including Christian and Muslim clerics, are uniquely positioned to champion environmental conservation. Their roles involve engaging large communities where their words carry significant weight as respected opinion leaders.
The nation’s environment faces severe threats from deforestation, wetland destruction, and water pollution. The National Forestry Authority reports forest cover dropped from 24% in 1990 to 12.7% in 2025, with 122,000 hectares lost yearly to fuel, timber, farming, and settlements. Cooking with wood and charcoal remains a primary cause.
Wetlands suffer from agriculture, sand mining, and encroachments. Some faith groups are stepping up; notably, the Church of Uganda Madi West Nile Diocese aims to plant 7.5 million trees by 2027 ahead of the church’s 150th anniversary.
This effort could help combat climate change impacts like floods, droughts, heatwaves, displacement, and food shortages. Trees and wetlands are vital defenses against these crises.
While praising government restoration work, authorities should partner with clerics, motivating them to weave conservation into sermons and leverage church media platforms—TV, radio, websites, and social media—for widespread outreach.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)