Search

Forestry is a key subsector in sustenance of the ecosystem and socio-economic wellbeing of the EAC countries. (...)Forest ecosystems enhances landscape resilience to climate change. In the EAC countries' water towers, forests provide environmental services that include water quality and quantity, reduction of soil erosion, and creation of micro-climatic conditions that maintain or improve productivity. Forests are also known to be among the most effective sinks of greenhouse gases, which cause climate change, and hence they are important in contributing to climate change mitigation.

Within the framework of WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services, the EAC countries made specific commitments across 11 sectors, namely, (...)environment(...)

Agriculture is essentially rain-fed and is dominated by smallholders. Persistent challenges to the sector include declining yields, drought, and the degradation of the ecosystem. (...)

(...)The EAC countries signed a CAADP Compact in June 2017 that had the following priorities: to increase regional trade and enhance the functioning of national and regional markets; to expand local agro-industry and value chain development; to increase the resilience of livelihoods and improve risk management in the agricultural sector; and to improve the management of natural resources. (...)

The Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization (LVFO) is responsible for the management of the lake's fisheries resources. (...)Its objectives are to foster cooperation among the EAC countries, to harmonize national measures for the sustainable utilization of the resources, and to develop and adopt conservation and management measures. Fisheries management is undertaken through rounds of five-year fisheries management plans.

Illegal fishing and the lack of regulation are cited as the main challenges to sustainable fisheries in Lake Victoria. In a decade, revenues from fish exports have declined by about 30%, to USD 840 million in 2015. In 2009, the Council of Ministers launched "Operation Save the Nile Perch", an initiative aiming at recovering some species' populations.

The EAC Treaty calls for the harmonization of countries' mining regulations, in order to ensure environmentally-friendly and sound mining practices. (...)

The EAC countries are endowed with various energy resources, including wind, solar, and geothermal

A number of policies are in place for the promotion of renewable energy. For instance, specialized solar equipment and accessories are exempted from the payment of import duties.

The EAC Tourism and Wildlife Management Bill has not yet been enacted. It seeks to establish a cooperative framework for the management of tourism and wildlife resources in the region. It provides for the establishment of an East African Tourism and Wildlife Management Commission to supervise, coordinate and manage all issues related to the promotion and development of the tourism and wildlife industry in the Community.