A team from the World Resource Institute (WRI), University Network, SOASS University of London delivered a seminar on the Triple Dividend of Building Resilience as full benefits of Climate Change Adaptation.

Senior Fellow WRI Prof. Carter Brandon and the Deputy Director, Centre for Sustainable Finance SOAS University of London  Harald  Heubaum  were in Uganda on the invitation of the EfD Mak Centre Makerere University to  deliver on the topic,” The Triple Dividends of Resilience: Assessing the full benefits of Adaptation Investments”.

 Thirty (30) participants drawn from the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (largely from the Newly established Climate Finance Unit), Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, the National Environment Management Authority, National Planning Authority, Academia, IGE fellows and post graduate students attended the workshop.

The workshop was officially, opened on 7th July 2023 by the Director EfD-Mak Centre who is also the team leader of the Resilience and Adaptation Mainstreaming Program (RAMP) at Makerere University represented by Peter Babyenda.

Mr. Babyenda is the IGE Policy Engagement Specialist at EfD-Mak Centre. He  emphasized the importance of building resilience especially in Uganda given that majority of the people depend on rain-fed agriculture and nature that is highly susceptible to climate change and its effects.

He welcomed the team to Makerere University expressing the center’s readiness to cooperate and train the public and private practitioners on issues of climate change adaptation, financing, modeling and risk management.

Participants were retooled on elements and importance of Climate Change adaptation; Costs and benefits of adaptation; Cost of benefit analysis of adaptation to climate change; the need for behavioral change and the risk of analysis and management. 

Prof. Carter Brandon explained that mitigation is concerned with applying measures to avoid the occurrence of climate change, while adaptation involves measures taken to cope up or minimize the effects of climate change.

He outlined the major elements of adaptation as, “Reduce and Prevent, Prepare, and Respond and finally, Restore and Recover.

The full advantage of adaptation according to Prof. Carter is   categorized as “the triple dividends of adaptation”.  The advantages include: avoided losses in form of saved lives, assets and crops; induced economic benefits in form of reduced flood risks, lower financial costs and increased crop yields.

Other advantages of adaptation he said, include social and environmental benefits in form of nature based flood protection, increased biodiversity protection, improved air and water quality, improved health and recreation, mangrove protection and improved fisheries and forestry.

Prof. Carter asked for support and the need to train the government and all stake holders involved in adaptation decision making in areas of finance, modelling, budgeting and risk management.

Harald Heubaum noted that   many countries do not consider full benefits of adaptation due to lack of expertise. This he said leads to under report the benefits associated with adaptation which also affects adaptation choices in those countries.

He said, the university network intends to partner with universities across the globe to train decision and policy makers on how to calculate adaptation benefits including modelling, financing and risk management.

A  call  Harald said will  soon be shared so that several local case studies are compiled to help in training. The training was welcomed by all participants on reason that it will improve adaptation ranking globally.

Closing the workshop, the Ag. Coordinator of RAMP at Makerere University Dr. Nick Kilimani appreciated the participants for being active and the Ministry of Finance for taking lead on the issues of climate change adaptation financing.

The Assistant Commissioner, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Uganda Dr. Sam Mugume said, government has prioritized adaptation activities in the country.

He reported that in addition to setting up an independent Climate Finance Unit to handle adaptation and climate change related financing, government has put aside money for clean agricultural adaptation in form of buying solar powered irrigation pumps as a way of adaptation to the changing climate in the country among other measures.

  Closing the workshop, the Ag.  Coordinator of RAMP at Makerere University Dr. Nick Kilimani appreciated the participants for being active and the Ministry of Finance for taking lead on the issues of climate change adaptation financing

A full paper that was presented can be accessed via:

Article Written by  Peter  Babyenda  and edited by Jane Anyango