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In December 2023, the Government of Uganda (GoU) made a significant commitment to the global climate agenda. Through the country’s energy minister, Hon. Ruth Nankabirwa, Uganda launched its Energy Transition Plan (ETP) at the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) in Dubai, UAE.
The plan is ambitious and forward-looking, signaling Uganda’s dedication to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and ensuring universal access to electricity by 2030. However, the path to a green future is paved with a resource that is rapidly gaining global attention:
The ETP arrived at a moment of immense global demand for minerals deemed essential for clean energy. As the world moves away from fossil fuels including oil, gas, and coal, technologies like solar PVs, wind turbines, electric vehicles, and battery storage systems depend heavily on a steady supply of minerals such as graphite, copper, cobalt, and rare earth elements.
Uganda is positioning itself to be a key player in this new landscape. As outlined in its Energy Transition Strategy, the government is actively working to attract investors to exploit these critical mineral deposits. The logic is clear, developing this sector can strengthen the supply chain for clean energy technologies, support the expansion of electricity transmission lines, and ultimately drive the nation’s development goals.
The transition to low-carbon energy systems is, without a doubt, key to addressing climate change. It also holds the promise of improving living conditions by ensuring access to clean energy for all, especially for vulnerable communities, including women and children, who are often the most affected by energy poverty.
However, as Uganda moves forward with its ambitious plans, a critical a question must be asked. At what cost, and for whose benefit? While the critical minerals sector in Uganda is still under development, the country is not new to mineral exploitation. For decades, Uganda has mined other resources, including copper. The historical and ongoing impacts of this extraction on host communities are a stark warning for the future of the energy transition.
Available information indicates that over 70% of critical raw minerals are located on indigenous peoples’ lands. This statistic is not just a number, it represents a profound risk. Past and present mining activities have left a trail of negative consequences for these communities, particularly the most vulnerable. For instance, communities have been forcibly moved from ancestral lands to make way for mining operations, when compensation is offered, it is often inadequate, failing to account for the cultural, social and economic value of the land and those who speak out against mining companies or advocate for their rights often face intimidation, harassment, and even arrest.
Sadly, women and children, who often rely most directly on the local environment for water, food, and fuel, bear the brunt of these impacts. It is evident that critical minerals hold undeniable economic potential. It could be a powerful engine for development, a tool to fight climate change, and a pathway to universal clean energy access.
However, there is a dangerous paradox at play. The very minerals intended to fuel a Just Energy Transition (JET) are, in many cases, being pursued through methods that replicate the injustices of the past. If current trends continue, the exploitation of critical minerals risks causing further environmental degradation and social suffering for millions of Ugandans. Therefore, as the government pushes forward with investor meetings and licensing rounds, it must place social justice and community rights at the very center of its Just Energy Transition. A truly just transition cannot be achieved if it is built on the dispossession and suffering of the very communities who live on the land that holds these valuable resources. For Uganda, the promise of a green future will only be meaningful if it guarantees a fair and equitable presence for all its citizens.
Patrick Edema, An Environmental Engineer and Energy Analyst
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