WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2024
World Environment Day, celebrated annually on June 5th, is a global event organized by the United Nations to raise awareness and promote action for the protection of the environment. This year’s World Environment Day campaign focused on land restoration, desertification and drought resilience under the slogan “Our land. Our future. We are #GenerationRestoration.” The theme aligns with the urgent call for action to restore degraded landscapes, protecting essential ecosystem services. Land restoration is a pivotal aspect of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030), contributing significantly to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hosted the 2024 World Environment Day global celebrations. Here are the key highlights from the campaign:
- UNEP’s New Report: The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released a comprehensive report detailing the global status of land degradation, successful land restoration projects, and innovative approaches to combating desertification and drought.
- Global Campaign Launch: UNEP, alongside other international organizations, launched a global campaign aimed at restoring 1 billion hectares of degraded land by 2030. The initiative focuses on reforestation, sustainable land management practices, and community engagement.
- Policy Announcements: Several governments announced new policies and funding allocations for land restoration projects. For example, African nations unveiled a collaborative strategy to combat desertification in the Sahel region, focusing on sustainable agriculture and water management.
These highlights from the World Environment Day 2024 campaign underscore the global commitment to addressing land degradation, enhancing drought resilience, and restoring ecosystems for a sustainable future.
While the global celebrations are typically organized by the United Nations Environment Program, Uganda has entrusted the National Environment Management Authority with spearheading the event on behalf of the government. Previous celebrations have taken place in various locations, including Kampala, Luweero, Masindi, Moroto, Mbale, Ibanda, Gulu, Rakai, and Kaliro. In a momentous turn of events, Sironko District in Eastern Uganda was chosen to host the prestigious 2024 National Celebrations for World Environment Day (WED). This year’s national theme, “Land Restoration for Climate Resilience,” emphasizes the critical need to restore land for climate resilience, human well-being, wealth creation, job opportunities, and sustainable socio-economic transformation. The theme also aligns with the Government’s Ten-Year Plan of Action for Restoration of the Environment and Natural Resources in Uganda (2021–2031), the National Vision 2024, and the National Development Plan.
The primary objective of the 2024 celebrations is to raise awareness about the importance of restoring degraded ecosystems. The aim is to inspire stakeholders at various levels to take meaningful actions towards the restoration of ecosystems. To achieve this, a series of activities have been planned, including tree planting campaigns, clean-up initiatives, media engagements, school club participation, translation of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials into local languages, and a Town Hall meeting.
On June 6th 2024, Kiira Motors Corporation today delivered a batch of eight (8) 8-Meter Kayoola EVS buses produced at Luweero Industries Limited in Nakasongola to the Kiira Vehicle Plant in Jinja,bringing the total stock of Electric Buses produced in Uganda to fifteen (15). This has signalled Kiira Motors’ readiness for delivering bespoke electric mass transit solutions for the African market. The 2024 8-Meter Kayoola EVS is a fully electric city bus with a nominal range of 200 kilometres on a full charger and capacity of 56 passengers. It forms the latest offering from Kiira Motors’ rich portfolio of state-of-the-art Ugandan-made buses.
Hon. Prof. Sandy Stevens Tickodri-Togboa, Kiira Motors’ Executive Chairman, said, “Uganda’s push towards becoming a net source of e-Mobility Solutions in Africa is steadily getting closer and we are proud to be contributing to this agenda. This progress has been made possible by the strategic partnership we have fostered with National Enterprise Corporation and its Luwero Industries Limited subsidiary.” He added that following World Environment Day — which is celebrated internationally on the 5th of June every year — and with the knowledge that Kampala’s air is nine times more polluted than the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s recommended limit1 — more Ugandan public and private sector players need to embrace environmentally sustainable means of mass transit for the good of the environment with solutions that offer quality and value for money like the Kiira Motors portfolio of products. The company is also looking to mainstream the deployment and distribution of its fast-charging infrastructure to cater to its customers and other Ugandans who have embraced the electric vehicle transition.
The 2024 Kayoola EVS comes in the following variations: 18-meter EV with capacity of 120 passengers; 12-meter EVS with capacity of 90 passengers; 10-meter EVS with capacity of 70 passengers, 8-meter EVS with capacity of 56 passengers; and 6-meter with capacity of 20 passengers.
The stage is set, and Kiira Motors is ready to take center stage, showcasing its commitment to environmental conservation and restoration in Uganda and beyond.
