The Archbishop of the church of Uganda, Stephen Kazimba Mugalu has urged church leaders and congregants to join efforts of conserving and recovering nature through tree planting among others.
Kazimba said as the world commemorates earth hour its right to not only raise voices but also take
actions for Nature recovery.
“Let us switch off from deforestation and purpose to plant trees to make Uganda green again, as you had in my previous communication, it is now mandatory to plant trees at all church functions such as confirmation, baptism, weddings among others,” he said.
Earth Hour is a worldwide Movement organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature, the event is held annually encouraging individuals, communities and businesses to turn off non essential electric lights off for one hour from 8:30 Pm -9:30 Pm on a specific day towards the end of March to the planer its was started as a lights off event in Sydney Australia and this year 2021, March 27 was the date for the earth hour.
Kazimba while addressing the press at the Uganda Media Centre said people need to switch off some behaviors such as using plastic bags and bottles and damping them carelessly.
“let us refuse to use the single use plastics and reduce the amount of plastic entering our environment every second, let us switch from wasteful cooking that take a lot of charcoal and firewood leading to the deforestation” he said.
Kazimba said as the church, they will continue to rally all God fearing Ugandans to speak out for Nature and take actions for Nature recovery.
The Minister for Water and Environment Sam Cheptoris said reversing the loss of nature also holds the key to prosperity since it’s the only way to secure livelihoods and the vast majority of the economic activity that’s is dependent on the natural world.
He said in the coming next five years of the NRM government, there will be a momentous opportunity for further prioritization of the environment and the sustainable development agenda at the forefront of all Government programs.
“ During the next five years, Government will show a new and high level of ambition to bend the curve and restore nature for the prosperity, security, stability and well being of Ugandans, in reference to the National Environmental Act 2019, I want to task all single use manufacturers to be responsible by putting up systems to collect the plastic litter that is getting into the environment,” he said.
Cheptoris said protecting nature is a huge challenge, hence thanking WWF, the scouts Movement and all other players who have joined government to restore nature.
The WWF Country Director David Duli said the Earth hour campaign is a reminder that humans are damaging the environment more than it can recover calling for radical actions to combat the increasing rate of environmental damage to water resources land biodiversity and marine life.
“We continue to raise alarm on the plastic crisis and preach the need to adopt the use of renewable energy technologies, every small action can make a difference, when we make changes in our lives, we inspire other people around us to change and grow,” Duli said.
He said that 2021 is the start of an important decade fir climate and nature action, this year, leaders from across the world, will make decisions that will impact our futures.
“ By 2030, nature and Wildlife could be recovering all around us, we could have green jobs cleaner air and a healthier future for the next generation, every one has a part to play in make that happen,” he said.
