Monday
Take climate change reports seriously’
The call was made here recently by the Permanent Secretary in the Vice-President’s Office (Union and Environment), Engineer Joseph Malongo in a speech read on his behalf by the Director of Environment Impact Assessment at National Environmental Management Council (NEMC), Dr Fadhila Khatibu. Dr Khatibu was opening a seminar on climate change for state and non-state actors.
He said effects of climate change are harmful and glaring in Tanzania. He named harmful effects as including steadily rising ocean level which is destroying the coastal environment. As a result of this effect, he said, salty water is flooding coastal fresh water wells and farms and aggressive high waves are destroying mangrove forests.
Tiny islands like Maziwe in Pangani area and Fungu la Nyani in Rufiji basin have been swallowed by seawater. Engineer Malongo said such effects are obvious in Dar es Salaam, Bagamoyo, Pangani, Rufiji and Zanzibar.
He explained that a combination of rising seawater, violent waves and floods are destroying coastal physical infrastructure including hotels in Dar es Salaam and Pangani coastlines; destroying human habitat and degrading marine and coastal ecosystems.
The PS said effects of climate change are associated with drought bouts and frequent floods causing big economic havoc on the nation and making the government suffer loses. Tanzania supports international efforts to reduce carbon emissions and their effects.
“The 2011 expert report warns that the economic cost as a result of climate change is likely to reach two per cent of Tanzania’s GDP in 2030. Tanzania might need between 100 and 150 million US dollars to mitigate effects of climate change,” he said.
Participants are drawn from ministries, state institutions, universities, non-governmental organisations, municipal and city councils, the Dar es Salaam, Lindi, Mtwara and Tanga regional secretariats, Dar es Salaam City Councils and its Municipalities. On April 3, 2018 Tanzanian parliament ratified the Paris Convention on climate
