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Uganda’s National Transport Master Plan: Potential for low carbon development

2pm, March 20th, 2018

This report, from the LEDS GP Transport Working Group, assesses Uganda’s National Transport Master Plan as a potential key candidate for accelerating low carbon development.

On average, Uganda emits 4.9 million tons (or 0.2 tons per capita) of carbon dioxide per year. Combined, the transport and agriculture sectors represented 62% of national emissions in 2000 and are projected to represent 70% by 2030 under a ‘business as usual’ scenario.

The transport sector is particularly vulnerable to potential disruptive events caused by climate change. As mentioned in Uganda’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution, “since 1960 mean annual temperatures have risen by 1.3°C and annual and seasonal rainfall has decreased significantly across Uganda. Rainfall has also become more unpredictable and evenly distributed over the year. Extreme events such as droughts, floods and landslides are increasing in frequency and intensity”. Accordingly, planning for the country’s economic development needs to consider both mitigation and adaptation strategies. Recognizing this and other climate-related challenges, Uganda developed a comprehensive National Climate Change Policy, which considers low carbon alternatives for all relevant sectors. However, there is a gap: Uganda’s transport strategy is not yet fully integrated with its climate change policy.

Transport infrastructure and services are critical to achieving developmental goals in Uganda, ranging from economic development and poverty alleviation to addressing climate change. This case study provides a situational analysis of the transport sector in Uganda, including the development and implementation of the National Transport Master Plan and other relevant plans, projects, and policies. The Working Group provided this country briefing at the request of the Government of Uganda.

Download the paper here: Uganda’s National Transport Master Plan: Potential for low carbon development

Photo: Carlos Felipe Pardo/ Flickr

Institutions Involved

  • LEDS GP

Authors

Angela Enriquez, Research Associate, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities Thet Hein Tun, Transportation Research Analyst, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities Linus Platzer, Research Assistant, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities
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