CRIC co-organised regional seminar on energy transition and climate change in East Africa
CRIC co-organised the regional seminar at Makerere University on 29 September 2025: “Cooking Fuels, Energy Transition, and Climate Change in East Africa.”
Photo credit: HURIPEC
The seminar was convened by the Human Rights & Peace Centre (HURIPEC) with St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT) and CRIC at Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen, the seminar formed part of our Danida Fellowship Centre-funded project "Charcoal Conflict in Climate Change’s Decarbonisation Dilemmas.
It brought together researchers, policymakers, civil-society actors and students – 100+ in person at Makerere and hundreds online – to discuss how decarbonisation intersects with livelihoods, gender, migration and local governance.
Key reflections
- Technical solutions to reduce charcoal-driven emissions must be paired with measures that protect livelihoods and women’s labour – otherwise transitions risk reproducing existing inequalities.
- Legal reviews across the region revealed important implementation gaps and a pressing need for harmonised, rights-sensitive regional responses.
- Financing conversations underscored that result-based and locally tailored instruments show promise but must reach households and build local institutional capacity to be effective.
- The hybrid format proved valuable for widening participation and connecting community-rooted research with regional policy debates.
Opening remarks
Dr. Sylvie Namwase (HURIPEC Principal Investigator), Frederick Kawooya (Royal Danish Embassy), Dr. Busingye Kabumba (HURIPEC Director), Prof. George Mutalemwa (SAUT PI), Prof. Ole Wæver (CRIC PI), Prof. Zahara Nampewo (Deputy Dean, Makerere Law).
Speakers and contributors
Zahara Nampewo; Emmanuel Kasimbazi; Dr. Dan Ngabirano; Benedicte Manishimwe; Collins Owuor; Kilele Muzaliwa; Juvenal Araka; Emmanuel Kaweesi; Oijuke Precious; Neema Mateka; Elia Mwanga; Emelyne Hakizimana; Judith Awacorach; Muhumuza Fred; Baker Matovu; Patrick Byakagaba; Mary Ejang; Denis Gobo; Opio Alfonse; Clement Okia; Oryema Christine; Justin Kilama; Emmanuel Lwankomezi; Rosemary Mwaipopo; Ngogo Mang'enyi; Jakob Dreyer; Lukas Kaarby; Angela Sellström; Greyson Zabron Nyamoga (PhD); Mathew Mabele; Janeth Mushi; Opportuna Kweka; Prof. Emmanuel Patroba Mhache; Jackson Bulili Machibya; Caroline Adoch; Rose Nakayi; Nabulya Jesca; Kezia Mkwizu; Jerita Mwambi; Eunice Fonyuy Fondze-Fombele; Ajibola Oladejo; Dumisani Hompashe, and others.
We extend our sincere thanks to HURIPEC, SAUT, Makerere School of Law, the session chairs, reviewers and every presenter for their insightful contributions. The discussions and evidence presented will directly inform the next phases of our project and we look forward to continuing this regional collaboration.
If your work intersects with energy justice, clean-cooking adoption, or the governance of energy transitions in East Africa, please get in touch – we welcome collaboration on comparative research, policy engagement, and capacity-building initiatives.