NEMA’s Tushabe Receives International UNEP Recognition for Protecting the Ozone Layer

KAMPALA – Josephine Tushabe has received the international recognition from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), a moment that has left the soft-spoken officer at the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) both humbled and quietly glowing.

An Environment Assessment Officer at NEMA and Assistant Ozone Officer at the National Ozone Unit, Josephine has spent years ensuring that Uganda remains compliant with global environmental standards under the Montreal Protocol. Now the world has paused to applaud her dedication, and the timing could hardly be better. The recognition arrives during the Women’s Month, when the global community celebrates the resilience, impact, and brilliance of women.

Highlights of the Recognition

The honour forms part of a special campaign by UNEP to mark the International Women’s Day 2026. The Day falls on March 8^th. The initiative highlights women working on the frontlines of enforcing the Montreal Protocol, featuring their contributions and perspectives. The campaign, which kicks off Thursday 5th March, shines a spotlight on the vital role women play in environmental protection, from biodiversity conservation and climate action to safeguarding the ozone layer. It also underscores UNEP’s broader push for gender-responsive policies and women’s empowerment in sustainable development.

Josephine is among the women recognised globally in the category of National Regulation and Compliance, where ten outstanding professionals were selected. Other categories in the campaign include Border Control and Trade Monitoring, which features 20 women; Compliance Monitoring, with five; and Legal Accountability, also with five.

For someone who often wears an almost shy smile and prefers letting her work speak for itself, Josephine has suddenly found herself in the international spotlight. And the reason is the protection of the planet’s ozone layer.

Her daily work revolves around ensuring that Uganda remains compliant with the Montreal Protocol, essentially the world’s collective “please-don’t-destroy-the-ozone-layer” agreement. While many of us last thought about the ozone layer during school science quizzes, Josephine thinks about it every day, with precision, dedication, and impressive patience.

Why Ozone Layer Protection Matters

The ozone layer is our planet’s protective sunscreen. It shields life from harmful ultraviolet radiation that can cause skin cancer, damage crops, disrupt ecosystems, and generally make sunshine far less friendly. Without it, life on Earth would quickly become uncomfortable, to say the least.

Globally, the Montreal Protocol is considered one of the most successful environmental agreements ever implemented. Since it came into force in 1989, more than 99 percent of ozone-depleting substances have been phased out worldwide. Scientists now project that the ozone layer could recover to 1980 levels by around 2040 in most parts of the world if current efforts continue.

Uganda has been part of this success story. Since ratifying the Protocol, the country has phased out 100 percent of chlorofluorocarbons that were once widely used in refrigeration. Uganda has also eliminated halons and carbon tetrachloride, while steadily reducing the consumption of hydrochlorofluorocarbons used in cooling systems.

Through programmes coordinated by NEMA and the National Ozone Unit, hundreds of refrigeration and air-conditioning technicians have been trained in environmentally friendly practices, while dozens of customs officers stationed at border points have received specialised training to identify controlled substances. These efforts have significantly strengthened Uganda’s capacity to prevent illegal trade in ozone-depleting chemicals.

Josephine’s work sits right at the heart of these national efforts. Supported by a team, Josephine helps to ensure that this protective shield remains intact. She verifies national consumption data, conducts compliance inspections, and works closely with customs authorities to ensure that no sneaky cylinders of illegal refrigerants slip through the system. She also conducts awareness campaigns and training programmes so that technicians, importers, and the public understand why controlling ozone-depleting substances is non-negotiable.

The New Frontline Champion

And she does all this with modesty. Josephine isn’t the loud, look-at-me kind of environmental warrior. She is the calm, composed professional whose warm but reserved smile could gently disarm even the most nervous importer before she politely asks, “May I see your permits, please?” Strength, in her case, doesn’t shout. It simply arrives with a well-organised inspection checklist.

It is little wonder that UNEP OzonAction has recognised her among its frontline champions. Her work reflects the growing leadership of women in environmental governance and demonstrates how integrity, empathy, and community engagement can make compliance feel less like punishment and more like a shared mission to protect the planet.

Her international recognition is, therefore, not only a celebration of personal achievement but also a reminder that environmental protection often depends on dedicated professionals working quietly behind the scenes; many times with a remarkably sharp eye for illegal refrigerants. This helps to keep Uganda compliant, the ozone layer safer, and the planet just a little cooler. And somewhere in the middle of all that, Josephine still finds time to be a devoted wife and mother. That, as many would agree, is genuine superhero energy.

Reaction to Her Recognition

When asked about the honour, Josephine responded with her trademark gentle glow.

“I am truly humbled,” she said softly. “This recognition came as a surprise. I have simply been doing my best. To see this work acknowledged internationally is both encouraging and deeply meaningful.” She added: “I never imagined that dealing with invisible gases would lead to international recognition. I am grateful, a bit surprised, and mostly inspired to keep doing more.”

The timing, she noted, makes the recognition even more special.

“This feels like a celebration of all the women working tirelessly in spaces where their impact is not always visible. I hope it inspires more women to join environmental enforcement and know that their contributions matter.”

“I want all children to grow up under a safe sky,” she said. “Protecting the ozone layer is not just scientific work. It is about loving the world we inherit and making it healthier than the one we found.”

Her humility continues to shine, and marking her as a living example of the quiet strength and dedication being celebrated across the world today. And from her team at NEMA, our new Ozone Frontline Champion continues to receive congratulations upon getting the international recognition.

Mr. Lubuulwa is the Senior Public Relations Officer at NEMA.