The global watchdog

Environmental problems call for co-operation across borders

Happy James Tumwebaze and information officer Simon Omoding

The environment is hot. Not only because of global warming, but also because of the focus on the topic from world leaders. But goal number seven in the Millennium Development Goals, (MDGs) about sustainable development is not very clear in its targets and demands. This calls for a local and global effort from the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) if the politicians are to be pushed towards creating actual environmental improvements.

One of the organisations is working on the important task of lobbying and advocating for sustainable development in the environment is the Uganda Coalition for Sustainable Development, UCSD, which is a national network of about 80 NGOs all working for sustainable development. But UCSD is more than that. By being a part of The Sustainability Watch, an international NGO network with member organisations in 18 different countries from Africa, Latin America and Asia, UCSD ensures that their work has a global focus.

“The global partnership gives us the possibility to exchange knowledge, experiences and advice with each other world wide. This means that if they have had great success with a project in El Salvador we will learn from it in Uganda. That way the global experiences can have local effects,” says Happy James Tumwebaze, coordinator for the International Network Secretariat (INS) under Sustainability Watch. The INS is hosted by UCSD in Kampala and coordinates the work at international level.

At the moment each country network, including USCD, is making assessments of how the work of implementing goal one on eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, goal seven on ensuring environmental sustainability and goal eight on developing a global partnership for development of the MDGs is going on in their country.

Until now the assessments have shown that the institutions, framework and laws are often there.  But the big problem -  not only in Uganda and East Africa but worldwide - is implementing the laws and making them work in real life. “When our reports are done, we can go to second phase by using them to put pressure on the politicians to keep their promises by saying, “Look. This is what you have promised, but you have only actually done this.” Or “look what they have done in Tanzania, why do we not do the same?” Thereby we hope to engage the governments and share the lessons learned as inspiration for others all over the world.

By gathering information we hope that eventually we will become the organisation people turn to when they have questions regarding the environment. Including the governments,” says Happy James Tumwebaze, who sees other advantages of the global partnership under Sustainability Watch:

“The more noise we make as an organisation - the more chances there are of the politicians hearing us. By being a global network with a lot of members worldwide our voice is more significant and will hopefully be heard more and give us more influence in the international community,” says Happy James Tumwebaze.