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Biodiversity: Harmony with nature and sustainable devt

Writer: Howard Mwesigwa. PHOTO/FILE/COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • Biodiversity—the variety of life on Earth—is critical to human survival and well-being.

The world marked the International Day for Biological Diversity on May 22, 2025 under the theme "Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development," and we were we are reminded of our enduring dependence on the natural world and the pressing need to restore and protect it. 

Uganda, with her rich ecosystems and biological wealth, stands at a critical juncture in the global effort to push back on biodiversity loss, one of the facets of the triple-planetary crisis, the other two being climate change and pollution. Biodiversity—the variety of life on Earth—is critical to human survival and well-being.

It provides food, medicine, clean water, climate regulation, energy sources and supports livelihoods. Yet, this intricate web of life is under growing pressure from human activities, making the call to live in harmony with nature more imperative than ever. Uganda ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on September 8, 1993 and is a party to its protocols, including the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing, and its Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress. 

To domesticate these commitments, Uganda developed the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAP I in 2002 and NBSAP II in 2015), which guide national efforts to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity. According to the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), Uganda is home to over 18,783 documented species of flora and fauna, making it one of Africa’s top ten most biodiverse countries.

She hosts 53.9 percent of the world’s mountain gorillas, 11 percent of global bird species (1,063), 7.8 percent of mammal species (345), and significant proportions of amphibians, reptiles, butterflies, and freshwater fish. Over 5,400 plant species are recorded, with 30 of them endemic to Uganda. Despite this natural wealth, Uganda loses between 10–11 percent of its biodiversity every decade. The major drivers include overexploitation of resources, habitat destruction—particularly wetlands and forests—agricultural expansion, pollution, illegal wildlife trade, invasive species, and climate change. Socio-economic challenges such as poverty, population growth, and accelerated urbanization further compound the problem. Nonetheless, there is growing momentum.

Efforts to strengthen environmental monitoring, enhance transparency, and promote good governance in natural resource management have gained traction. Local and international organisations are advancing conservation, environmental education, and community empowerment, including equitable benefit sharing and revenue allocation. To achieve harmony with nature, Uganda must scale up ecosystem restoration, particularly of degraded wetlands and forests, curb illegal wildlife trade, invest in biodiversity research, and strengthen access and benefit-sharing frameworks.

Integrating biodiversity into development planning at all levels—national, sectoral, and local—is crucial. Greater inclusion of youth, women, and indigenous communities in decision-making will also ensure more just and effective outcomes. We must all renew our commitment to safeguarding Uganda’s natural heritage. Whether through policy advocacy, community engagement, education, or sustainable everyday-choices, each of us has a role to play in building a future where development is sustainable and in consonance with ecological balance. Remember, it is biodiversity that makes Uganda the ‘Pearl of Africa’!                


Howard Mwesigwa,       

Team Leader – Energy,    

Environment & Sustainability   

Kalikumutima & Co. Advocates


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