CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IN UGANDA
1. Modification of physical environment by;
(i) Deforestation as in the case of Kalangala Islands and Mabira forest that is in pipeline.
(ii) Encroachment on wetlands. This is currently going on in Kampala city and several other towns as people try to construct residential houses. It is also in rural areas as farmers try to expand their farms.
(iii) Land fragmentation in places like Kabale as population increases.
(iv) Soil erosion especially in hilly areas of South Western Uganda. This is leading to silting of rivers such as River Rwizi and Kagera.
(v) Over exploitation of lake resources, as in the case of Lake Victoria, Albert and George where fishermen are fishing indiscriminately.
2. Human overpopulation. This is leading to diminishing habitants for other species as people expand their settlements and farms. It is leading to over exploitation of land and soil fertility exhaustion like in Buganda region. It is also leading to congestion in towns especially in slums which subsequently leads to diseases, such as cholera
3. Poor management of wastes in towns. This is leading to diseases such as
Cholera too.
4. Diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria that make people sick/ kill them.

HOW TO INCREASE AWARENESS
1. Sensitization. This can be done through media, political rallies, public debates, schools and others.
2. Through trainings such as those of environmental journalists, environment officers/scientists who can ably guide people to protect the environment.
3. Physical participation to be seen as role models.
CHALLENGES:-
• Lack of capital for sensitization such as buying air space on radio. Also like in the case of lack of enough money to pay reporters to investigate on environmental issues which is hard for private media companies.
• Lack of enough knowledge on environmental protection concepts. This is leading to lack of exposure to concepts in environmental systems among journalists, local leaders and some environmentalists too.
• An important issue therefore that should be addressed by managers and owners of media houses and government is the examination of factors and practices that drive journalists to report on others issues and neglect environment.
• Lack of cooperation from local people, with environmentalists and journalists. This is leading to continued degradation of environmental and also to scarcity of environmental stories on the side of journalists.

RECOMMENDATIONS
 There is need to raise on the number of reporters and journalists who are trained to specialize in covering the field of environment.

 There is also need to create simple environmental language that is accepted not only nationally but also internationally to help break the environmental jargon.

 Further more there is need for everyone involved in advocating for the environment say environmental officers, local leaders to become louder. More practical attention by the stakeholders in conservation of environment could see more people sensitized and well informed about the effects of their actions on environment

 Politicians should be realistic and not see their constituents in wrong and keep quite just because they fear that risking to attack them could mean loss of votes

 Media organizations too, should reorganize the problems associated with environmental degradation and come up with a policy of airing at least an environmental story per bulletin to effectively empower their audiences with knowledge to control this.