A series of studies indicate that the level of environmental degradation being witnessed are a result of increased population pressure and ineffective management of Uganda’s natural resources. There is lack of commitment to fund management of the natural resources as illustrated by the decrease of government and partner investment in this sector. For example, national budgetary allocations to the environment and natural resources declined from 4.9 percent in 2004/2005 to 2.4 percent in 2008/2009.

The reduced funding for the environment and natural resource sector is happening at a time when sustainability, as a concept, is becoming a basic tenet of development. This implies that underestimating the immense contribution of the environment and natural resources to the economy of Uganda is tantamount to creating conditions for destroying the foundation upon which the same economy is based.

Accordingly, the purpose of this handbook is to provide a ready source of environmental information and trends for legislators to reference on a regular basis in the course of their work. It is also meant to foster effective appreciation and representation of environmental issues in parliament, while entrenching the concept of sustainable development in planning and decision-making at different levels.