ID: 2196
Presenting Author: Tom Ogwang
Session: 750 - Bridging the Gap: Empowering Local Governments in Developing Economies to Make Environmental Impact Assessments Understandable and Actionable
Status: pending
This study analyses the extent to which oil companies comply with Certificates of Approvals as issued by regulator for operations in and around Uganda's oil fields.
The expansion of oil and gas exploration in biodiversity-sensitive landscapes presents profound challenges for environmental governance and conservation. This study critically analyses the extent of compliance with the Certificates of Approval (CoAs) for Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) issued to oil companies operating in and around Murchison Falls National Park (MFNP), Uganda’s most ecologically significant protected area. Against the backdrop of global debates on resource governance, biodiversity loss, and climate change, the paper interrogates the intersection between extractive industries, regulatory mechanisms, and socio-ecological outcomes. Drawing on field interviews, documentary analysis, and policy review, the study assesses corporate adherence to environmental safeguards and examines resultant ecological, social, and economic risks. Findings reveal significant compliance gaps, linked to governance weaknesses, institutional fragmentation, and political-economic pressures, with cascading impacts on habitat integrity, species distribution, and ecosystem services.
Dr Tom Ogwang is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda.
Coauthor 1: ANNA MUCHWAMPAKA KYOKUHAIRE