ECOLOGICAL STEWARDSHIP AND ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS IN UGANDA: INSIGHTS FROM RELIGIOUS TEACHINGS, ROOT CAUSES OF CRISIS, AND PATHWAYS TO SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS
Abstract
This paper explores the concept of ecological stewardship in addressing Uganda’s pressing environmental challenges, emphasizing the integration of religious teachings into conservation efforts. Uganda is facing an escalating environmental crisis, characterized by deforestation, wetland loss, and widespread pollution. The paper analyses the root causes of these issues, including economic pressures, inadequate regulatory frameworks, and a lack of environmental awareness. It argues that religious teachings can provide a powerful ethical foundation for fostering a deeper commitment to environmental conservation. The paper concludes by proposing practical solutions, and presenting a case study. The aim is to promote a unified and sustainable approach to environmental management, ensuring the preservation of Uganda's natural resources for future generations.Through this exploration, the paper aims to contribute to the ongoing dialogue on environmental conservation in Uganda, providing insights that can inform policy decisions and inspire collective action towards a sustainable future.
Key words: Ecology, Environment, Ecological Stewardship, Religious Insights, Importance, Environmental or Ecological Crisis, Root Causes, Sustainable Solutions.
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Banana, Abwoli Y., Nathan D. Vogt, Joseph Bahati, and Simon Gombya-Ssembajjwe. "Decentralized Governance and Ecological Health: Why Local Institutions Fail to Moderate Deforestation in Mpigi District of Uganda." Scientific Research and Essay Vol. 2 (10) (October 2007): 434-445. Retrieved from https://public.websites.umich.edu/~ifri/Publications/Banana,%20Abwoli,%20et%20al.%20%20Decentralized%20Governance%20and%20Ecological%20Health.pdf.
Berkes, Fikret. Sacred Ecology. 3rd ed. New York: Routledge, 2012. Retrieved from https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9780203123843/sacred-ecology-fikret-berkes.
Benedict XVI. Caritas in Veritate. Encyclical Letter. AAS 101 (2009): 671-685.
Churchhill, Winston. My African Journey. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1908.
Ekins, Paul, and Joyeeta Gupta. "Perspective: A Healthy Planet for Healthy People." Cambridge University Press, 28 October 2019. Retrieved from https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/global-sustainability/article/perspective-a-healthy-planet-for-healthy-people/631A71648FA6E07273B00E6848FEC012.
Francis, Laudato Si’, Encyclical Letter, On Care for Our Common Home, Vatican Press, 24th May, 2015
Gleick, Peter H., ed. The World's Water 2014–2015: The Biennial Report on Freshwater Resources. Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2014. Retrieved from https://islandpress.org/books/world’s-water.
Gilbert Griffin, Afforestation and Reforestation, 2024. Retrieved from https://forestry.com/forestry-management/sustainable-practices/afforestation-vs-reforestation/.
Gruen, L., and Jamieson, D., Reflecting on Nature, New York: Oxford University Press, 1994.
Houghton, C. J. T., Global Warming: The Complete Briefing. 3rd ed. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2004.
John Paul II, Centesimus Annus, Encyclical Letter, AAS 83 (1991), 841-865
Mace, Georgina M., Ken Norris, and Alastair H. Fitter. "Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services: A Multilayered Relationship." Trends in Ecology & Evolution 27, no. 1 (2012): 19-26. Retrieved from:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0169534711002424.
Marsh, G.P. Man and Nature. Edited by David Lowenthal. Cambridge University Press, 1965.
Masron, T. A., and Subramaniam, Y. "Does Poverty Cause Environmental Degradation? Evidence from Developing Countries." Journal of Poverty 23, no. 1 (2018): 44–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/10875549.2018.1500969.
Maja, M. M., and Ayano, S. F. "The Impact of Population Growth on Natural Resources and Farmers’ Capacity to Adapt to Climate Change in Low-Income Countries." Earth Syst Environ 5 (2021): 271–283. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41748-021-00209-6.
Metych, Michele. ,"Natural Disaster." Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 August 2024. https://www.britannica.com/science/natural-disaster. Accessed 28 August 2024.
Mutyaba, Emmanuel. "Implications of Laudato Si to Uganda." Leadership Magazine (issue no. 551) (September 2015).
Odira, C.K., Caring for the Environment for Everyone. Nairobi: Paulines Publications Africa, 2013.
Peschke, Karl H. Christian Ethics: Moral Theology in the Light of Vatican II. Bangalore: Bangalore Theological Publications, 2013.
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church. Nairobi: Paulines Publications, 2005.
Rehman, A., Farooq, M., Lee, D.J., et al. "Sustainable Agricultural Practices for Food Security and Ecosystem Services." Environ Sci Pollut Res 29 (2022): 84076–84095. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-23635-z.
Reynolds et al , Global Desertification: Building a Science for Dryland Development, Science,316, 847 (2007) DOI: 10.1126/science.1131634 , 847 (2007); 31634. https://www.academia.edu/19492626/Reynolds_et_al_2007_Global_desertification_building_a_science_for_dryland_development_Science_316_May_11_847_851 accessed on 25th August, 2024.
Stern, Nicholas. The Economics of Climate Change: The Stern Review. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006.retrieved from ttps://assets.cambridge.org/97805217/00801/frontmatter/9780521700801_frontmatter.pdf
Tang Kuok Ho. "A Systematic Review of Slash-and-Burn Agriculture as an Obstacle to Future-Proofing Climate Change." Conference Paper, 2020. DOI: 10.17501/2513258X.2020.4101.
Tyler Miller, Jr., and Scott E. Spoolman. Essentials of Ecology. 5th ed. Belmont: Brooks/Cole, 2007.
UNESCO. "UNESCO Declares Environmental Education Must Be a Core Curriculum Component by 2025." Retrieved from https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-declares-environmental-education-must-be-core-curriculum-component-2025.
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). "Religions and Environmental Protection." Retrieved from https://www.unep.org/about-un-environment-programme/faith-earth-initiative/religions-and-environmental-protection.
Wandera, Dan. "How a Priestly Vision Resurrected Lazarus Forest in Luweero," 2024. Retrieved from https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/special-reports/how-a-priestly-vision-resurrected-lazarus-forest-in-luweero-4754402.
Worrell, Ernst, and Scott Appleby. "Stewardship of Natural Resources: Definition, Ethical and Practical Aspects." Journal of Environmental Ethics 12, no. 3 (2000): 263. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009534214698.
World Bank. "Ugandan Government Steps Up Efforts to Mitigate and Adapt to Climate Change." 2019. Retrieved from https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2019/05/31/ugandan-government-steps-up-efforts-to-mitigate-and-adapt-to-climate-change.
World Health Organization. Climate Change and Human Health: Risks and Responses. Edited by A. J. McMichael, et al. World Health Organization, 2003. https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/42742. 100% Clean, Renewable Energy and Storage for Everything. Cambridge University Press, 2020. Retrieved from https://books.google.at/books/about/100_Clean_Renewable_Energy_and_Storage_f.html?id=W732DwAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y.
Published
2024-09-16
How to Cite
Rabwoni, B. (2024). ECOLOGICAL STEWARDSHIP AND ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS IN UGANDA: INSIGHTS FROM RELIGIOUS TEACHINGS, ROOT CAUSES OF CRISIS, AND PATHWAYS TO SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS. African Journal of Emerging Issues, 6(14), 1 - 20. Retrieved from https://ajoeijournals.org/sys/index.php/ajoei/article/view/663
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