Kampala, November 23, 2022 – A new project launched today in Kampala by national authorities and international organizations aims to advance more responsible artisanal gold mining sector across the country.
The five-year planetGOLD Uganda project is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). The planetGOLD Uganda project will be executed by the international non-profit organization, IMPACT, in partnership with Uganda’s National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and the country’s Directorate of Geological Survey and Mines (DGSM).
The project will work together with local communities to reduce the use of mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining—the world’s largest source of anthropogenic emissions of mercury pollution— while improving the health and lives of local mining communities. The Ugandan project is part of a global program similarly implemented in 23 countries.
The planetGOLD Uganda project plans to support 4,500 men and women at 11 mine sites in the country, reducing mercury use by 15 tonnes over five years. The project aims to reduce the use of mercury by supporting formalization of the artisanal gold mining sector and increasing access to finance. This will lead to adoption of mercury-free technologies and allow access to more responsible and traceable gold supply chains....
