Tanzania plans to propose to
member states of the East African Community (EAC) to have a clear
implementation and policy in the process of curbing climate change with the
reason to mitigate its effects in the regional level.
Speaking in an
exclusive interview with East African Business Week in Dar es Salaam last week,
the Minister of State in the Vice President Office, (Environment), Dr Bilnith
Mahenge said since the signing of the treaty for the establishment of the EAC,
the regional bloc has been a shining example of African regional integration
and economic development.
“Since we are the shining example we need collective efforts
and responsibility to ensure that we mitigate the effects of the climate change
in the regional level he said adding that I am aware that the bloc has the
strategic plans to fight climate change but we want a clear implementation in
the EAC.”
Dr Mahenge added that the value of intra-regional trade has
surpassed $5 billion annually because of the increase of trade between
countries but the threats of climate change may damage the trend in every
sector especially agriculture.
“The facts are incontrovertible, climate change is not a
myth and it will affect our day to day lives (and wallets) sooner than we
think. Human activity is increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2)
in the atmosphere, which is in turn resulting in warmer temperatures,” he
warned.
He further said that the regional bloc ought to come up with
collective efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change in the regional for
instance to start depending on agricultural irrigation and discovering of
natural gas as a source of energy.
Dr Mahenge said that an increase in trade simply means
higher volumes of goods and services are being moved from one place and
consumed in another.
He noted that this movement requires transportation that
will invariably emit CO2 into the atmosphere, especially for goods, the most
utilized mode of transportation in the region is road. Road transport
contributes 72.6% of CO2 emissions from the transport sector. Rail transport on
the other hand, only contributes 2%.
Dr Mahenge said that unfortunately, the repercussions of
climate change will affect Sub-Saharan Africa the most and higher temperatures
will affect agricultural yields.
“If temperatures continue to rise at the current rate, by
2030, most of East Africa will be unsuitable for maize production. The negative
implications of this on the food security of the 135 million East Africans are
substantial,” he noted.
Furthermore, the EAC Climate Change Fund that has been
proposed and debated by the East African Legislative Assembly would require
Member States to contribute at least $360 million annually to address climate
change issues.
The operationalization of this fund would be a major step in
helping countries adapt to the current and future effects of global warming.
In the recent years climate change has become a global
social, economical and environmental challenge facing humankind. The fourth
report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC 2007) has
revealed that climate change is real and already happening.
According to the report, while it is difficult to accurately
predict the consequences of climate change, enough understanding is available
on the kind of risks posed.
The impacts include melting of glaciers, floods, frequent
prolonged droughts, reduced water supply, decline in crop yields to food
insecurity, increase of vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever,
rising sea levels leading to displacement of people and disruption of both
terrestrial and marine ecosystems and important natural habitats, which are now
not only predicted but vividly observed in many parts of world.
