The Albertine Rift is known for its importance for biodiversity conservation but ARCOS is worried that recent findings of oil fields in western Uganda risks to have severe impact on the environment if sound measures are not taken. Russian, Chinese, French, Italian, Indian and other oil companies are among firms that have already expressed interest in investing in Uganda’s oil reserves estimated at 2 billion barrels to date.
The Government has set tough conditions for new companies intending to invest in the oil production in the country. “For a company to be approved by the Government, it must have a capital base of at least $24b. The companies need to have the necessary risk capital and access to project finance for both the short and long-term investment.” Said Mr. Kabagambe Kaliisa, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Energy. ARCOS would like to see more emphasise on environmental integrity.
As part of a MacArthur funded project, a regional workshop on Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation is being organised by BirdLife International in collaboration with different partners from 14th to 18th February 2010. The goal of the workshop is to develop mechanism for project implementation and launch the project.
The objectives of the workshop are:
- Launch the project and institute the Project Steering Committee.
- Develop and refine frameworks and guidance for project implementation at national level
- Identify and analyse existing climate change adaptation plans and refine the Adaptive Mamangement Framework
- Assess capacity needs for implementing the adaptation measures
- Identify advocacy targets and strategies for implementation.
The Executive Committee of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) welcomes ARCOS as a new Associate Participant to GBIF from the 20th of January 2010. GBIF is a decentralised network of biodiversity information facilities (BIFs) established and maintained by its Participants: the countries, economies or international organisations that have signed the GBIF MOU. ARCOS joins GBIF in the category of international organisations and ARCOS role in promoting biodiversity data management in the Albertine Rift will contribute significantly to the promotion of GBIF’s mission in the Albertine Rift. “GBIF and ARCOS partnership will enhance significantly biodiversity data management and sharing in the Albertine Rift region, says Paul Buckley, ARCOS Chairman of the Board and representative to GBIF Governing Board. There are two GBIF Members in the Albertine Rift, Tanzania and Uganda and ARCOS and GBIF plan to work together in increasing more membership in the region.
The chiefs recently formed an anti-bush meat consumption group in Jonam to fight poaching, trade and consumption of bush meat. They pledged to work with UWA to fight the vice in Jonam. “We shall sensitise communities around the park on the benefits of conservation through promotion of cultural tourism, drama and story telling
In 1995, Dr Sam Kanyamibwa concluded a life time achievement to launch a regional conservation organisation for the Abertine Rift. The original name was OBICO (Organisation for Biodiversity Conservation), later on changed to the Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS) but the vision and mission have not changed.
To celebrate the 15 years achievement, ARCOS will share with partners the key moments that have marked the organisation. Each month will feature a different theme:
January – early days February – monitoring
March – ARCOS staff
April – ARCOS board members
May – capacity building
June – Backbone / Le Pilier (special issue 19)
July – partnerships (governments, NGOs, private sector)
August – collaborative actions
September – information sharing and regional biodiversity report
October – biodiversity month
November – new challenges (climate change, EIA, ecosystem services)
December – new strategy (Backbone special issue 20)
The Nyamulagira Volcano, which sits some 40 kilometres northwest of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, erupted on Saturday 2nd January 2010, and the lava has spewed into the Virunga National Park. The ICCN (The Conservation Authority in DRC) has expressed concern over the threat posed by the volcanic eruption on the Park’s ecosystems and wildlife, including the possible migration or death of animals in the site.
Prime Minister of Kenya Raila Odinga led a strong team of Cabinet Ministers, MPs, Diplomats and Conservationists to plant 20,000 tree seedlings to launch the Mau Forest Rehabilitation Plan. Mau Forest is one of the largest indigenous montane forest in East Africa and Kenya’s most vital water tower, covering 400,000 hectares. ARCOS welcomes the efforts of the Kenyan Government and different stakeholders to save Mau Forest.
Based on limited ability for Data Centres in the Albertine Rift region to assemble and analyze data for biodiversity reporting and as part of a Regional Biodiversity Information Framework developed by ARCOS and Partner organisations, ARCOS is holding a three day training for Data Centres and selected NGOs in the region in data collection, analysis and interpretation for long-term reporting. To be held in Bujumbura on 20-22 January 2010, the workshop will also develop strategy for enhanced engagement in the production of the first Regional Biodiversity Report planned at the end of this year in September 2010.
The longest negotiation process that took two years was concluded in Copenhagen with a disappointing agreement. The original purpose of the Conference of Parties in Copenhagen (COP15) was to complete negotiations on a new international binding agreement on climate change to come into force when the Kyoto Protocol’s first commitment period come to an end in 2012 . ARCOS is disappointed but we hope that our leaders will realise that action is needed now.
ARCOS in collaboration with the University of Cambridge and WWF-US organises the first stakeholders workshop on Ecosystem Services in the Greater Virunga’s Landscape, Kampala, 16-19 November 2009.
