Tanzania has world's highest rate of deforestation - NEMC

Tanzania's average annual deforestation rate is at a global high of 1.1 percent, more than twice the global average of 0.5 percent. As such, the country is loosing between 300,000 to 400,000 hectares of forest each year and experts warn over the possibility of increased rapid climate change effects.

Speaking in Dar es Salaam over the weekend during the ‘Global warming and climate change forum’ the National Environmental Management Council (NEMC), Chemical Engineer, Menan Jangu, feared that the trend will continue short of introduction of alternative fuels.


He noted that currently, forests provide over 90 percent of the national energy supply through wood fuel and charcoal and they also provide 75 percent of the country’s demand for construction materials.

“Bad enough, climate variability is increasing the occurrence and severity of wild fires that in turn is affecting the distribution of species, changes in land-cover, reducing the forests size and subsequently drying up of streams and rivers” said the Engineer. 

“Also changes in hydrological cycle’s affects quantity and quality of water to meet human and environmental demands. This also causes inefficiency in hydroelectric power generation, agricultural production and urban water supplies,’’ he added
During the discussions, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Chief Representative, Yasunari Onishi called for appropriate measures to adopt and mitigate climate change effects highlighting the fact that, in this matter, all are stakeholders.

He cited Mount Kilimanjaro as an example of how climate change affect resources in Tanzania, noting that only a few years back the mountain was full covered with snow but due to increasing hot weather, a result of global warming, it has adversely being affected and most of its snow has melted away by 80 percent in 2007 compared to 25 percent in 1976.

“We all need to take affirmative action to make sure that the environment around and beyond the mountain is protected and preserved for the benefit of the present and future generations since it touches every sector from agriculture, infrastructure, water, health and natural resources,” Onishi said.

In his remarks, the Assistant Director from the Environmental Department, Vice President’s office, Dr. Richard Muyungi underscored that climate change does not only affect humans but all ecosystems.

“Mitigation measures for climate change should be taken to permanently eliminate or reduce the long term risk and hazards of climate change to human life including engaging in sustainable agriculture, agro-forestry and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by using energy efficient system,” Muyungi said.

He advised the government to lower the price of gas in a bid to reduce deforestation by providing an alternative fuel to charcoal.