Episodes

  • Episode 31: 'Everything stopped where it was.' The Closure of USAID and its Consequences for Uganda.

    Episode 31: 'Everything stopped where it was.' The Closure of USAID and its Consequences for Uganda.
    Aug 21 2025
    On July 1st 2025 USAID officially shut down. For many countries around the world it represents a massive blow to a range of development programmes covering everything from health, agriculture and education to governance and climate change mitigation. In today's compelling episode, Robert Bagyenda joins us to share his insights into the likely consequences of this change. At the time of USAID's closure Robert was the team leader for the Environment Climate and Engineering Unit. Here you can fiind a report published in The Lancet in 2025 forecasting that the closure of USAID could lead to the deaths of as many as 14,000,000 people. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)01186-9/fulltext And you can find the shuttered USAID website here - https://www.usaid.gov/
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    49 mins
  • Episode 30: Why Wetlands Matter - with Asadhu Ssebyoto

    Episode 30: Why Wetlands Matter - with Asadhu Ssebyoto
    Aug 7 2025
    The 23rd to the 31st July 2025 saw the 15th meeting of the Conference on Wetlands in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The Wetlands COP15's theme was "Protecting Wetlands for our Common Future," and today's guest was one of Uganda's representatives. Asadhu Ssebyoto is a Senior Wetlands Officer in the Ugandan Ministry of Water and Environment. And to say he's a man with a passion for wetland preservation would be an understatement: to use his own words, it's a subject he eats, drinks and sleeps. In this episode he talks us through the common types of wetlands found in Uganda, how we should understand their importance, and why long term preservation is only possible when the livelihoods of local communities are taken into account. You can find out more about the Wetlands COP15 here: https://www.wetlandscop15.gov.zw/ Thanks as always to our guest, Asadhu Ssebyoto, and thanks to you for listening.
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    28 mins
  • Episode 29: Making Climate Resilient Communities A Reality

    Episode 29: Making Climate Resilient Communities A Reality
    Jul 24 2025
    In this in-depth interview, Pauline Nantongo Kalunda talks to us about her own personal and professional growth. She has moved from being a scientist with a specialist interest in insects to entreprenurial activism and passionate advocacy for smallholding communities. She details the workings of the ECOTRUST model of incentivising environmentally sustainable practices, and offers many other fascinating insights along the way. Pauline is the Executive Director of the Environmental Conservation Trust of Uganda: ECOTRUST. You can find out more about their work here: https://ecotrust.or.ug/about-us/ This interview was recorded in August 2024.
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    46 mins
  • Episode 28: 'The mosquitoes have adapted, the people have not.'

    Episode 28: 'The mosquitoes have adapted, the people have not.'
    Jul 10 2025
    Where to start with this amazing episode? Clarity, insight and perspective from Dr. John Bosco Isunju, of Makerere University, on the hazards we face as humans in the face of climate change, and the unique challenges that will shape the future of life in Uganda. Dr. John Bosco Isunju brings a formidable depth of knowledge to these subjects, having worked across many areas of public health from environmental pollution, geospatial health, disaster risk reduction, and infection prevention to issues around occupational safety and health, and safe water and sanitation. And many other points in between. Dr. Isunju recently led the Climate change vulnerability and adaptation assessment and development of Uganda's Health National Adaptation Plan. He is a member of the WHO Global Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health. At Makerere University, he is a cluster lead of the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA)’s Nature-Based Solutions cluster for climate change adaptation. He is a member of the Editorial Board for the Makerere University Press. He also serves on the Grants and Research Capacity Building Committee and is the Secretary for the MakSPH Research and Ethics Committee. He is a Focal Person for the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa, where he also serves on the Board of Management. As always, thanks to all of you for listening - if you'd like to drop us a line please do: climatetalkpod@gmail.com is where you'll find us.
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    35 mins
  • Episode 27: Communities Displaced by Floods and Other Impacts of Climate Change

    Episode 27: Communities Displaced by Floods and Other Impacts of Climate Change
    Jun 26 2025
    This week we're turning our attention back to some of the broader questions around health and climate change. Crispus Mwemaho has a background in health services, and he's co-founder with Ivan Rwomukitomaof the Abayuuti Climate Action Network. He joined me in the studio last week to talk about the work the Abayuuti Climate Action Network does with people who have been displaced by flooding in Uganda. But first, I asked Crispus Mwemaho what inspired him to focus on the ways climate change, climate mobility, and health intersect. You can find out more about the Abayuuti Climate Action Network here: https://www.abayuuti.org/ Kampala Climate Cafe on Instagram: @kampalaclimatecafe And you can find a fascinating article on mental health and climate displacement written by Crispus Mwemaho here: Displaced and Distressed: Uncovering the Mental Impacts of Climate Displacement in Uganda (https://eastandhornofafrica.iom.int/blogs/displaced-and-distressed-uncovering-mental-impacts-climate-displacement-uganda)
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    30 mins
  • Episode 26: What Progress in Protecting Uganda's Environment?

    Episode 26: What Progress in Protecting Uganda's Environment?
    Jun 13 2025
    This is a timely and profound exploration of the strategies, passions and frustrations of environmental activism over a long period of time. Founded in 1983, Joint Energy Environment Projects exists to promote efficient use of natural resources and prevent the destruction of forests. Forty years after its founding, how does the CEO, Ruth Kiwanuka, reflect on her experiences; the progress that has been made; and the challenges that remain? You can hear Ruth Kiwanuka speak about Joint Energy Environment Projects in this video from 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0QUZwRK3ro And you can find out more about the work of JEEP and its partners here: https://jeepfolkecenter.org/about/ As always, thanks for listening, and drop us a line any time: climatetalkpod@gmail.com
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    27 mins
  • Episode 25: Predicting Healthcare Needs, AI and Climate Change

    Episode 25: Predicting Healthcare Needs, AI and Climate Change
    May 30 2025
    How do you prepare for outbreaks of malaria if climate change means that mosquitoes which spread the disease are thriving in areas that were previously off limits? When it comes to public health, climate change makes a tricky situation even more difficult. In this episode Dr Muganzi David Jolly and Dr Ian Clarke discuss how AI might play a role in helpiing Uganda meet this challenge. Dr Muganzi David Jolly is the Health Innovation Hub manager at Clarke International University here in Kampala. Dr Ian Clarke is an Irish-born doctor, entrpreneur, and coffee farmer. In this wide-ranging conversation we touch on many aspects of the healthcare landscape in Uganda, and the idea that climate change can be a driving force for innovation. You can find out more about Clarke International University here: https://ciu.ac.ug/?s5responsiveswitch_wwwihsuacug=0 And you can find a brief profile of Dr Muganzi David Jolly here: https://wayforwardyouth.org/muganzi_david And as always, if you'd like to get in touch, climatetalkpod@gmail.com is where you'll find us.
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    29 mins
  • Episode 24: The Impact of Climate Change on Mental Health

    Episode 24: The Impact of Climate Change on Mental Health
    May 15 2025
    Janet Kantalama Kantana joins Josephine to talk about how we can understand mental health challenges in the age of climate change. We explore how our inner wellbeing is affected when day to day life is disrupted by intense or unpredictable weather events. And we talk about measures we can take - individually and collectively - to make sure we are mentally resilient in those circumstances. Janet Kantalama Kantana is a psychologist and Executive Director of Safe Places Uganda. It's a private facility helping people deal with mental health issues and addiction. You can find out more about Safe Places here: https://safeplacesuganda.com/about-us/
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    24 mins