Uganda Launches MONCAP Model to Integrate Natural Capital into Economic Planning

What the report says

Uganda has introduced a new policy modelling tool called the Model for Natural Capital Policy Assessment, or MONCAP, to help government evaluate the economic effects of protecting natural resources and the costs of environmental damage. According to SoftPower News, the launch took place on Friday at Golden Tulip Canaan Hotel in Kampala and was led by the Permanent Secretary, though the snippet provided does not include the official’s name or the full list of participants.

The tool is intended to support economic planning by estimating how decisions affecting forests, water and other natural assets can influence development outcomes. In practical terms, MONCAP appears designed to give policymakers a way to factor natural capital into budget, investment and planning discussions, rather than treating environmental assets as separate from the economy.

SoftPower News reported that the launch reflects a broader effort to integrate environmental protection into national decision-making. More generally, natural capital accounting has been adopted in some countries and institutions to better quantify ecosystem value and the risks of depletion, but the source evidence here only confirms Uganda’s launch of MONCAP and its intended policy role. The development matters because it may help officials compare the long-term economic benefits of conservation against the short-term gains of resource use.