Solar Energy Legal Readiness Uganda.pptx

Renewable energy in Uganda

1. Assessing Uganda’s Legal Readiness for Managing Environmental Risks Arising from Large-Scale Solar Energy Deployment Dissertation Proposal Patience Muyonga LLM in International Energy Law and Policy August 2025

2. Background / Introduction Uganda is actively investing in solar energy to diversify its electricity mix and promote sustainability. However, large-scale solar projects can have environmental consequences, including land degradation, biodiversity loss, and waste management challenges. Legal oversight of these impacts remains underdeveloped.

3. Problem Statement While Uganda is scaling up solar energy production, its legal and regulatory frameworks have not evolved at the same pace to address environmental concerns. There are apparent gaps in environmental impact assessments, land use regulation, and enforcement. This creates risks for sustainable development and community welfare.

4. Objectives General Objective To examine the legal and policy framework governing solar energy development in Uganda. Specific Objectives To assess Uganda’s readiness to manage the environmental impacts of solar projects. To identify legal and enforcement gaps and propose regulatory reforms. To recommend legal and policy reforms aimed at strengthening Uganda’s regulatory framework

5. Research Questions 1. What environmental risks are associated with large-scale solar energy development in Uganda? 2. What legal and policy instruments govern solar energy and environmental protection? 3. Are these instruments adequate to mitigate environmental risks? 4. What reforms are necessary to improve Uganda’s legal preparedness?

6. Justification of the Study This research addresses the overlooked environmental implications of renewable energy. It ensures that clean energy expansion does not come at the cost of ecological degradation. The findings can contribute to legal reforms and better policy implementation in Uganda’s energy transition.

7. Scope of the Study • Focus: Large-scale solar energy projects (e.g., >1MW capacity). • Geographic scope: Uganda, with case examples like the Soroti and Tororo solar plants. • Thematic scope: Legal instruments, policy frameworks, environmental risks, enforcement mechanisms.

8. Methodology - Doctrinal legal research using statutes, regulations, policies, and case law. - Comparative analysis (e.g., Kenya, South Africa). - Review of environmental assessments, scholarly literature, and institutional reports.

9. Legal Frameworks to Be Analyzed - National Environment Act, 2019 - Renewable Energy Policy, 2007 (and any updates) - Electricity Act - Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations - International instruments and sustainability standards (e.g., IFC Performance Standards)

10. Expected Outcomes - A clearer understanding of the environmental risks of solar energy projects. - A critical evaluation of legal and policy gaps. - Practical legal reform proposals to enhance Uganda’s environmental governance in renewable energy.

11. Newell and Mulvaney in “ The political economy of the “Just Transition ”. highlights that renewable energy projects, while intended to transition to a more sustainable energy system, can unintentionally exacerbate inequalities and marginalize poor communities if not implemented with strong governance and a focus on social equity. Thus in my research I intend to highlight the gaps in Uganda’s legal system that only promotes renewable energy adoption but that does not focus on its impacts, I also aim to ensure that the gaps in such transitions do not disproportionately impact already marginalized populations and if so, what are the consequences of those against protections . Yenneti and Day, in their study of the Charanka solar park in India , reveal critical insights into how large-scale solar energy projects can produce procedural injustices when decision making processes lack transparency, inclusivity, and fairness. Their findings show that inadequate stakeholder engagement, especially among marginalized communities, can result in social displacement, loss of livelihoods, and environmental degradation ironically in the name of sustainability. This case underscores the importance of legal and institutional safeguards that ensure affected communities are meaningfully consulted and their rights protected. In the context of Uganda, where solar energy deployment is rapidly scaling up as part of the country’s clean energy agenda, similar risks may arise if legal structures do not adequately address issues of procedural justice. This research seeks to assess whether Uganda’s existing legal and regulatory frameworks are sufficiently equipped to anticipate and manage such risks particularly regarding land acquisition, environmental assessments, community participation, and equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms. Drawing from the Indian example, the study aims to identify legal gaps and propose reforms that promote environmentally and socially just energy transitions in Uganda. Literature Review

12. Literature Review Continued; Tsoutsos, Frantzeskaki, and Gekas in Environmental impacts from the solar Energy Technologies . critically examines the environmental impacts associated with solar energy technologies, highlighting that despite their contribution to clean energy transitions, and that they can generate significant ecological disturbances. The analysis challenges the often overly optimistic narratives surrounding solar energy and calls for rigorous environmental assessments and management plans. In the Ugandan context, this work underscores the importance of ensuring that legal and regulatory frameworks governing solar energy development are not solely geared toward energy generation, but also incorporate robust environmental protection mechanisms. Without such safeguards, Uganda risks exposing ecologically sensitive areas to degradation under the guise of renewable energy expansion. Tsoutsos et al.'s work therefore provides a foundation for understanding why Uganda’s legal readiness must include comprehensive environmental impact regulations tailored to solar technologies. By focusing specifically on Uganda, this study extends beyond Tsoutsos et al.’s technical analysis to examine whether Uganda’s legal and institutional framework is sufficiently robust to address the unique environmental risks posed by the rapid expansion of large-scale solar energy infrastructure. In particular, this research interrogates the adequacy of existing laws relating to land use planning, environmental impact assessment, biodiversity conservation, and hazardous waste management in the context of solar energy. Additionally, it considers the enforcement capacity and inter-agency coordination necessary to implement environmental protections effectively. In doing so, this study fills a critical gap by bridging the scientific understanding of environmental risks with a legal-institutional analysis tailored to Uganda’s developmental and regulatory realities. It contributes to a more holistic view of energy governance by proposing legal reforms that ensure Uganda’s transition to solar energy is not only sustainable but also environmentally responsible.

13. Preliminary References - National Environment Act, 2019 - Renewable Energy Policy, 2007 - Electricity Act - NEMA and ERA Guidelines - Scholarly articles on environmental regulation of renewable energy