Rosette Byengoma, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs, has launched a taskforce to formulate a comprehensive climate change and environmental security strategy that will respond to and prevent devastating consequences caused by climate change.
Byengoma made these remarks while launching the taskforce at the Ministry of Defence and Veterenary Affairs Headquarters in Mbuya on June 24, 2024. She emphasized the huge threat that climate change poses to national and global security.
“The climate crisis requires a coordinated and strategic response to mitigate its impacts and prevent devastating consequences, and it has far-reaching consequences, impacting vast areas and populations globally through extreme temperature fluctuations, rising water levels, and unpredictable weather patterns,” she said.
According to Byengoma, the highlighted factors pose significant threats to critical infrastructure and human resources, making it imperative for the defence forces to recognize the inseparable link between climate change and global security concerns.
Edith Buturo, the Undersecretary of Finance and Administration, said that the initiative by the defence ministry demonstrates the government’s commitment to safeguarding the planet while ensuring the readiness of the defence forces in the face of the climate change crisis.
“The development of a comprehensive climate change and environmental security strategy is a crucial step in addressing the security implications of this global challenge,” Buturo said.
Byengoma noted that the Taskforce, led by the Chief of Staff of the Air Forces, Brigadier General David Gonyi, has been tasked with developing a comprehensive strategy that complies with international, regional, and national regulatory frameworks. She added that the strategy will be developed with assistance from the Ministry of Water and Environment, which will provide technical support.
These frameworks include the Climate Change Act, 2021; the Public Finance Management Act, 2015; and the National Environment Management Authority Act, 2019, which mandate ministries, departments, and agencies to implement climate change mitigation and adaptation measures within their operations.
