Land Conservation in the Albertine Graben
Region of Uganda: A Critical Analysis
of the Legal Regimes
Wahab Kassim
1 Introduction
In 2006 the Ugandan government declared that the country was commercially viable
for production of oil and gas
1 and that the Albertine Graben was identified as the
most prospective amongst all the other basins.
Prior to oil discovery, the Albertine region was well known as a protected area for
wildlife. It was well known as the area for International Bird, Ramsar and World
Heritage Sites.
2
However, the oil industry presents several environmental challenges that Uganda
has to deal with, Uganda’s economy is known for acquiring revenues from tourism
and farming which both are currently at risk due to the dangerous nature of the oil
industry. Infrastructures such as refineries, pipelines, central processing units and
roads are requirements for the development of the industry, unfortunately these
infrastructures have contributed greatly to the degradation of the environment and
the land in the Graben.
Scenarios such as deforestation due to the development of oil infrastructure cause
land and environmental degradation problems plus loss of biodiversity since land is
left bare. This exposes it to erosion especially given the increased water runoff and
wind speed.
3 In addition, there is pollution of land due to oil spills, discharge of
effluents and poor waste disposal and management. These impacts on land are
known for reducing land organic matter and macro nutrients such as nitrogen and
W. Kassim (*)
Kampala International University, School of Law, Kampala, Uganda
1 Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment (2012).
2 Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment (2012), p. 3.
3 Kakura and Ssekyana (2009), p. 65.
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
H. Yahyah et al. (eds.), Legal Instruments for Sustainable Soil Management in
Africa, International Yearbook of Soil Law and Policy,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36004-7_5
79
Region of Uganda: A Critical Analysis
of the Legal Regimes
Wahab Kassim
1 Introduction
In 2006 the Ugandan government declared that the country was commercially viable
for production of oil and gas
1 and that the Albertine Graben was identified as the
most prospective amongst all the other basins.
Prior to oil discovery, the Albertine region was well known as a protected area for
wildlife. It was well known as the area for International Bird, Ramsar and World
Heritage Sites.
2
However, the oil industry presents several environmental challenges that Uganda
has to deal with, Uganda’s economy is known for acquiring revenues from tourism
and farming which both are currently at risk due to the dangerous nature of the oil
industry. Infrastructures such as refineries, pipelines, central processing units and
roads are requirements for the development of the industry, unfortunately these
infrastructures have contributed greatly to the degradation of the environment and
the land in the Graben.
Scenarios such as deforestation due to the development of oil infrastructure cause
land and environmental degradation problems plus loss of biodiversity since land is
left bare. This exposes it to erosion especially given the increased water runoff and
wind speed.
3 In addition, there is pollution of land due to oil spills, discharge of
effluents and poor waste disposal and management. These impacts on land are
known for reducing land organic matter and macro nutrients such as nitrogen and
W. Kassim (*)
Kampala International University, School of Law, Kampala, Uganda
1 Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment (2012).
2 Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment (2012), p. 3.
3 Kakura and Ssekyana (2009), p. 65.
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
H. Yahyah et al. (eds.), Legal Instruments for Sustainable Soil Management in
Africa, International Yearbook of Soil Law and Policy,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36004-7_5
79