Uganda’s National Environment Fund (NEF) was established by the National Environment Act Cap. 153 Laws of Uganda. It promotes sound environmental management in Uganda by halting and reversing environmental degradation, strengthening human institutions and capital, and facilitating the formulation of effective policies. It does this by seeking to ensure that there is adequate and sustainable funding for environmental management. Section 89(2) of the Statute provides that the NEF may receive funds from the following sources:
- Disbursement from Government;
- All fees charged under this Act;
- Any fees prescribed for any service offered by the [National Environmental Management] Authority [NEMA];
- Any fines collected as a result of the breach of the National Environment Act or any statutory instrument made under this Act;
- Gifts, donations and other voluntary contributions to the Fund made from any source; and
- Any other sources.
More than US$800,000 has been collected and disbursed through the NEF. The collected monies are invested in Treasury bills and bonds to generate a long-term, sustainable revenue stream.
Fees payable by project proponents for project briefs and environmental impact assessments (EIAs) are paid into the NEF. All the monies collected through the EIA process are paid into the NEF, and administrative costs are absorbed by NEMA without touching the fees collected, so as to allow the NEF to grow. There is a graduated scale for the EIA fees, based on the size of the project. Thus, where the total value of the project [Note that US$1 = 1900 Shillings.]:
- does not exceed Shs. 50,000,000 the amount payable shall be Shs. 250,000;
- is between Shs. 50 million and 100 million, the amount payable shall be Shs. 500,000;
- is between Shs. 100 million and 250 million, the amount payable shall be Shs. 750,000;
- is between Shs. 250 million and 500 million, the amount payable shall be Shs. 1,000,000;
- is between Shs. 500 million and 1 billion, the amount payable shall be Shs. 1,250,000;
- is between Shs. 1 billion and 5 billion, the amount payable shall be Shs. 2,000,000; and
- exceeds Shs. 5,000,000,000, the amount payable shall be 0.1% of the value of the project.
For more information, contact Ms. Christine Akello at cakello@nemaug.org or info@nemaug.org