complaint

Mbabazi and Others v. The Attorney General and National Environmental Management Authority - complaint

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In 2012, the plaintiffs sought declaratory and injunctive relief on behalf of four Ugandan minors. They argue that article 237 of the Ugandan Constitution makes the government of Uganda a public trustee of the nation's natural resources—including its atmosphere—and that articles 39 and 237 require the government to preserve those resources from degradation for both present and future generations. Citing multiple examples of damage and loss of life resulting from extreme weather events, the plaintiffs allege that the government has breached its constitutional duty. In addition to asking the court to declare that the government is violating its public trust duty by not addressing climate change and thereby failing to prevent present and future harms, the plaintiffs request several forms of injunctive relief, such as orders compelling the government account accurately for nationwide greenhouse gas emissions and developing a plan to mitigate those emissions.

After a preliminary hearing, the High Court ordered the parties to undertake a 90-day mediation process, but took no further action through October 2017. Between 2018 and 2022, an array of witness statements, document evaluations, and lengthy adjournments (due to the judge's or parties’ absence) occurred. 

In June of 2023, the court reinstated evidence and allowed for a new next-friend application a the plaintiff, which was granted in July of 2023 and resulted in an amendment to the pleadings. 

In May of 2024, the court granted the second defendant leave to amend their pleadings, and the matter was adjourned until September 19, 2024. The matter was then again adjourned twice more, and all parties appeared in court on March 31, 2025. It was then adjourned until May 12, 2025. During this hearing, the first defendant prayed for adjournment of the case, as he requested time to prepare and file a Trial Bundle. The court granted this request, and the matter is now adjourned until September 15, 2025. 

Mbabazi and Others v. The Attorney General and National Environmental Management Authority

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An aim to achieve a quantifiable outcome within a given time-frame, set by an institution such as a national government.

Policy instruments are techniques or tools used by governing authorities to promote certain policies in order to achieve predetermined goals. Put simply, instruments are how a government tries to achieve its goals, with this taxonomy being focused on national policy instruments.

Risk is the potential for adverse consequences resulting from the dynamic interplay between (climate-related) hazards, exposure, and vulnerability of affected human or ecological systems.

Groups  of people who are adversely affected by climate change or the response to it

A set of principles, processes, and practices that build economic and political power to shift from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy.

Renewable energy means all forms of energy produced from renewable sources in a sustainable manner.

Fossil fuel is a generic term for non-renewable energy sources such as coal, fossil gas, and oil (including crude oil, and petroleum products), that can be used for electricity and heat generation. Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons formed from pressurised and heated organic material buried over millions of years.

Molecules in the atmosphere that play a key role in the greenhouse effect by trapping heat radiating from Earth’s surface.

Area of the economy in which actors engage in identical or related activities.

In human systems, the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate change and its effects, in order to moderate harm, increase resilience or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, the process of adjustment to actual climate change and its effects; human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate change and its effects.

The management and allocation of funds, assets and investments to meet various objectives

Slow onset events evolve gradually from incremental changes over many years or from increased frequency or intensity of recurring events. As defined in the Cancun Adaptation Framework (2010), slow onset events include risks and impacts from rising temperatures, desertification, biodiversity loss, land and forest degradation, glacial retreat, ocean acidification, sea level rise, and salinization.

Terrestrial means "of the earth" and relates to the risks to ecological system that includes all living organisms and their interactions within land-based environments, such as forests, grasslands, and deserts.

People who have left their homes, whether through force, voluntarily, or a mixture of both

Either money or something of monetary value is transferred between two or more organisations, people or countries.

Heavy precipitation refers to any form of weather where substances fall from the sky, including rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

Actions or measures to adapt terrestrial systems to climate change.

A drought is an extended period of unusually dry weather marked by a significant and sustained lack of precipitation, falling below a specific threshold over a large area for more than a month

Activities that relate to the production of goods and services from forests.

The release of heat-trapping gases, primarily from human activities such as burning fossil fuels, agriculture and industry.

Extreme weather refers to events where a weather variable exceeds (or falls below) a threshold. Meaning it is significantly different from the average or usual weather pattern.

People who are less able to respond to the effects of climate change due to having limited financial or physical assets

Geohazards are adverse geological phenomenon's that are capable of causing widespread damage or loss to property, life and the environment, such as earthquakes, volcano eruptions and tsunamis. Climate change can increase the frequency and severity of some geohazards, such as landslides, and soil erosion.

Fossil gas, commonly known as natural gas, is a fossil fuel consisting chiefly of methane with smaller amounts of other hydrocarbons and trace gases, found in underground deposits.

Mbabazi and Others v. The Attorney General and National Environmental Management Authority - complaint

Risk

Impacted group

Fossil fuel

Greenhouse gas

Economic sector

Adaptation/resilience

Finance