Solar energy entrepreneurs are making significant strides in rural Uganda, addressing the low electricity access rate of 7% in these areas. Companies like Solar Now and Solar Sisters are providing affordable solar home systems, improving livelihoods, and creating employment opportunities. M-Kopa Solar has connected over 250,000 homes in East Africa, with plans to reach one million by 2018. A new 10 MW solar farm in Soroti district will soon provide clean electricity to 40,000 households. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change has allocated $20 million to support solar businesses in East Africa, highlighting the region's potential for renewable energy investments. Uganda's government is encouraged to leverage financing mechanisms to develop its abundant clean energy sources, aiming for universal renewable energy coverage by 2050.

Total Energies is advancing its $10 billion oil project in Uganda's Lake Albertine Rift Basin despite opposition from climate activists concerned about its environmental impact. The company is investing in renewable energy and e-mobility infrastructure, aiming for net zero emissions by 2050. However, critics argue that these efforts are insufficient and call for a complete shift to renewable energy. The EACOP project, involving a 1,443 km pipeline to Tanzania, faces significant criticism for its projected carbon emissions. The European Union has urged the abandonment of the project, while Uganda's President Museveni defends it, citing Africa's right to use its fossil fuels. Uganda's government is also committed to reducing emissions and increasing renewable energy deployment.

Uganda's government is investing in oil development projects, including a refinery and a pipeline, despite global efforts to reduce carbon emissions. These projects could exacerbate climate change and displace local communities. Uganda has committed to a 22% emission cut by 2030 and aims to increase renewable energy capacity, but meaningful action is still pending. The article calls for individual and collective efforts to combat climate change.

Uganda's significant oil discoveries have attracted major investments but also raised environmental concerns, particularly with the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project. The pipeline, led by Total and other multinational companies, threatens local communities and biodiversity, crossing sensitive areas like Lake Victoria. Despite promises of economic benefits, local residents face displacement and inadequate compensation. Environmentalists argue that Uganda should focus on its abundant renewable energy resources instead of fossil fuels. The project has sparked significant opposition from local and international groups, highlighting the broader debate between economic development and environmental sustainability.

The Ugandan government, with French and Chinese investors, has announced a $10 billion oil project to develop Uganda's crude oil reserves, aiming to export oil by 2025. The project, involving TotalEnergies and China National Offshore Oil Corporation, includes a $3.5 billion pipeline to the Indian Ocean. Despite assurances of low environmental impact, local and international activists express concerns over potential ecological damage and human rights violations. Major funders have withdrawn, and the project faces opposition from civil society. The government pledges environmental safeguards, with significant job creation anticipated.

The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns in Uganda have led to a significant increase in child labour within the coffee industry, as children turn to agriculture to support their families. Despite existing laws prohibiting child labour, the closure of schools and loss of jobs have exacerbated the issue. The rise in child labour has contributed to Uganda's record coffee exports but poses a threat to the country's reputation and key export commodity. Various organizations, including the International Labour Organisation and Fairtrade Africa, are working to combat child labour through awareness and guidelines, but the prolonged school closures continue to present challenges.

The COVID-19 pandemic and school closures have exacerbated child labour in Uganda's agriculture sector, particularly in tea plantations. Children are working long hours alongside their parents, with some hoping for permanent positions as they grow older. Despite laws against child employment under age 12, a report indicates that 26% of children in Hoima district are engaged in hazardous work. Local leaders struggle to combat child labour, which leads to loss of interest in education and the adoption of harmful behaviors among children. President Museveni's National Action Plan aims to eliminate child labour, and the International Labour Organisation's ACCEL AFRICA project targets child labour in supply chains. The Uganda National Household Survey reports a 28% increase in child labour incidences due to the pandemic's impact on income and livelihoods.

The mining boom in Uganda's Karamoja region has led to job creation but also environmental degradation, rights violations, and land grabbing, affecting the indigenous Karamojong people. Deadly clashes and displacement are increasing, with locals facing health issues due to contaminated water. Companies like Sunbelt and DAO Marble Africa Limited are under scrutiny for their land acquisition practices. The Karamoja Miners Association is working to protect miners' rights, while the government is investigating incidents and drafting new mining laws to address these challenges.

The mining rush in Uganda's Karamoja region has led to significant investments and job creation but has also caused environmental degradation, rights violations, and land grabbing, threatening the livelihoods of indigenous Karamojong people. Local leaders and organizations are advocating for fair compensation and better working conditions, while Ugandan authorities are investigating incidents and implementing new mining regulations. The region's mineral wealth holds economic potential, but the rush has also increased insecurity, displacement, and social unrest.

The article discusses the hazardous conditions faced by artisanal gold miners in Uganda, particularly in Mubende, central Uganda. Rose Namukasa, a miner and single mother, is highlighted as she works without protective gear, exposing herself to mercury poisoning. The Ugandan government, through Minister Sarah Opendi Achieng, has warned that licenses will be revoked for miners using mercury. The Water Governance Institute's report indicates mercury levels in the area are dangerously high, exceeding WHO safe limits. Symptoms of mercury poisoning are prevalent among miners, yet there is no bio-monitoring or adequate medical diagnosis for these ailments in Uganda. The article also touches on the broader economic context, including a Belgium-based refinery's investment and the potential for commercial mineral development. The upcoming mining and minerals bill 2019 aims to address these issues, but progress has been hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic.