Some of the world's leading experts on
Climate Change have joined the country's decision makers and opinion
leaders gathered today in Tanzania's business capital to participate in a
major two-day conference to deliberate on climate resilient economic
growth.
Under President Kikwete's leadership,
Tanzania has been playing a leading role globally in defining the
regional climate change agenda, and the country has recently
consolidated its position with the 2013 adoption of the National Climate
Change Strategy and the Zanzibar Climate Change Strategy in addition to
other key interventions such as the 2014 Agriculture Climate Resilience
Plan.
Coming on the heels of the New York
Climate Summit in September and just prior to the next round of global
climate negotiations, which will be held in Lima this December, the goal
of the Dar es Salaam conference is to fast-track action on climate
change here at home at all levels of society.
The conference has attracted more than
140 participants including key decision makers, thought leaders, and
innovators from around the world who will discuss and propose practical
actions on what needs to be done to position Tanzania's policies, plans,
and investments towards an inclusive, resilient growth trajectory.
"This conference is a great opportunity
for dialogue on how Tanzania's development pathway can flourish despite
the changing climate," says Philippe Dongier, the World Bank Country
Director for Tanzania.
"It is tempting to imagine that we are
located remotely from the climate change phenomenon but this is
erroneous. Climate change will affect all Tanzanians - be they in the
growing urban areas, where populations are expected to triple by 2030,
and climate-related flooding is expected to increase; along the coast,
where changing wind and temperature patterns are leading to erosion and
marine impacts; or in agricultural areas where rising temperatures will
affect crop survival and livelihoods."
The poverty rate in Tanzania is
currently estimated at about 28% of the population with the majority of
the poor living in rural areas where they are entirely dependent on
climate-dependent natural resources.
As an example, agriculture, a dominant
sector of the economy, generates 25% of GDP and 24% of exports and is
the mainstay of 75 - 80% of livelihoods in the country - including the
majority of the poor, who are largely smallholder farmers dependent on
rainfed agriculture.
Climate change is expected to result in
changing weather patterns, which could have important impacts on this
rainfed agriculture: rainfall decreases of 10% have been correlated with
a 2% decrease in national GDP,[1] and temperature rise of 2°C could
reduce maize yields by 13% and rice by over 7%. [2]
"Tanzania has begun to take important
actions in addressing the risks associated with climate change. We are
proud to be working with the Vice President's Office Division of
Environment and the UK Department for International Development in
supporting this important conference, which highlights the work being
done in the country and areas for future action," said Ann Jeannette
Glauber, World Bank Senior Environmental Specialist.
The conference was opened by His
Excellency Dr. Mohammed Gharib Bilal, the Vice President of the United
Republic of Tanzania, with closing remarks by PM Pinda and will feature
several special guest speakers.